Crimeans Vote to join Russia

{{With roughly half of the ballots counted, results from Sunday’s secession referendum in Crimea showed that 95% of voters opted to join Russia. The US and Europe condemned the ballot as illegal.}}

– After 50% of the ballots were counted, Mikhail Malishev, head of the referendum committee, said more than 95% of Crimean voters had approved splitting off and joining Russia. Turnout was estimated at 81%.

– Opponents of secession, including Crimea’s Tatar Muslim minority, appeared to have stayed home Sunday, denouncing the vote as a power play and land grab by Russia.

– The US and Europe swiftly condemned the ballot as illegal and were expected to slap sanctions against Russia in reprisal as of Monday.

– Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday told US President Barack Obama in telephone talks that the referendum was “completely in line with the norms of international law”, according to a statement released by the Kremlin.

– After the polls closed late Sunday, crowds of ethnic Russians in the regional Crimean capital of Simferopol erupted with pro-Russian chants in the main square.

– The Crimean parliament will meet Monday to formally ask Moscow to be annexed and Crimean lawmakers will fly to Moscow later in the day for talks, Crimea’s pro-Russia prime minister said on Twitter.

– Russia’s lower house of parliament, the Duma, is expected to vote on the Crimean request for annexation on Monday.

{france24}