Crimea is voting on whether to rejoin Russia or stay with Ukraine but with more autonomy. The referendum has been condemned as illegal by Kiev and the West but is backed by Moscow. Since the fall of Ukraines pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych, Russian troops have in effect taken control of the majority ethnic-Russian region. Voters are expected to support leaving Ukraine, but Crimean Tatars are boycotting the poll. Russia earlier vetoed a draft UN resolution criticising the vote - the only Security Council member to do so. The US-drafted document was supported by 13 Council members. China, regarded as a Russian ally on many issues, abstained from the poll. Beijing has said it supports Ukraines territorial integrity. The US and EU had warned they would impose further tough sanctions on Russian officials if the referendum went ahead. Russias envoy voted against the draft resolution at the UN Security Council Russia intervened in the Crimean peninsula by seizing control of government buildings and blocking Ukraines troops at their bases after the fall of President Yanukovych on 22 February. However, the Kremlin officially denies deploying extra troops there, describing them as Crimeas self-defence forces. In other developments: Kiev accused Russian forces of seizing a village, Strilkove, just north of Crimea, describing the move as the military invasion Tens of thousands of opponents and supporters of Russias actions in Ukraine held rival rallies in Moscow Pro-Ukrainian activists warn of provocations during a pro-Russian rally in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, on Sunday No common vision Polling stations across Crimea opened at 08:00 local time (06:00 GMT) and will close 12 hours later.
Posted on: Sun, 16 Mar 2014 08:16:18 +0000
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