Simferopol: Crimeans voted on Sunday in a unique referendum on breaking away from Ukraine to join Russia that has precipitated a Cold War style security crisis on Europe’s eastern frontier.
Cossacks and pro-Moscow militias were seen patrolling at some polling stations and Russian flags were being flown everywhere from city buses to convoys of bikers roaming the streets. Ukraine’s new government and most of the international community except Russia have said they will not recognise a result expected to be overwhelmingly in favour of immediate secession.
“This is a historic moment, everyone will live happily,” Sergiy Aksyonov, the local pro-Moscow Prime Minister, said after casting his ballot here. “We will celebrate this evening,” Mr Aksyonov said.
Some Crimeans who requested anonymity said they were planning to spoil their ballots in protest and there was a call on social media for people to stay at home and cook vareniki (Ukrainian dumplings) instead of going out to vote.
Several journalists were prevented from entering polling stations in Sevastopol and Simferopol. Some foreign observers were also present.
Ukraine, Russia agree on brief truce
Kiev: Ukraine’s defence minister said on Sunday his forces in Crimea had reached a temporary truce with Russia aimed at easing tensions surrounding the Black Sea peninsula’s highstakes secession referendum.
“Agreements have already been reached between our (Russian and Ukranian) commanders... on there being no attempts to blockade our military installations until March 21,” Interfax news agency quoted the the defence minister as saying.
