The U.N. deputy secretary-general has denied reports from Ukrainian officials that a U.N. special envoy was kidnapped in Crimea.

Global's Paul Johnson was news gathering in the Crimean capital Simferopol on Tuesday when armed men tried to prevent him and Global cameraman Mike Gill from taking video at a military base.

I'll be the first to tell you I'm no expert on Russia - Ukraine relations, or of the particular experience that Russian speaking Ukrainians have of living in this country.