KIEV (AFP) - Ukraine's security authorities said on Friday they had regained control of two airports on the volatile Crimean peninsula that had been seized by gunmen that officials in Kiev said had links to the Russian military.

"There was an attempt to seize the airports, but we have localised those attempts. The airports are now controlled by Ukrainian law enforcement authorities," Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council chief Andriy Parubiy said in televised remarks.