ITV News' James Mates was with the United Nations special envoy Robert Serry as he agreed to end his mission to Crimea after he refused to go with a group of men who blocked his car and then local militia refused to let him leave a coffee shop.
UN special envoy Robert Serry has spoken of his confrontation with unidentified men in Ukraine's Crimea region to ITV News.
"When I left my car was blocked and somebody, who did not identify himself, was telling me that he had orders to bring me immediately to the airport. I refused," Mr Serry told Europe Editor James Mates.
He revealed that he managed to get out of his car after the unidentified group attempted to take control of the vehicle.
The UN envoy's team believed the visible presence of our camera crew was probably the best protection they could have had from the militia.
ITV News were the only TV journalists with a UN envoy as he was forced to seek refuge in a Crimea cafe after being confronted by armed men.