UPDATE: While earlier exit polls indicated strong support, the preliminary results are now being announced:
- *CRIMEA TO JOIN RUSSIA BACKED BY 95.5%: PRELIMINARY RESULTS
- *CRIMEA TO REMAIN IN UKRAINE BACKED BY 3.5%: PRELIMINARY RESULTS
Crimea will apply tomorrow to join Russia:
Crimea's regional government will make a formal application today to join the Russian Federation, the local pro-Moscow leader said on Twitter after a disputed referendum to break away from Ukraine.
"The Supreme Soviet of Crimea will make an official application for the republic to join the Russian Federation at a meeting on March 17," Sergiy Aksyonov said in a tweet.
The celebrations are widespread throughout Crimea:
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Putin and Obama have spoken:
- *PUTIN SPOKE TO OBAMA BY PHONE, KREMLIN WEBSITE SAYS
- *KREMLIN SAYS PUTIN-OBAMA CALL INITIATED BY U.S. SIDE
- *PUTIN TOLD OBAMA KIEV REGIME UNABLE TO CURB ULTRANATIONALSTS
- *PUTIN TOLD OBAMA CRIMEA VOTE FULLY MET INTERNATIONAL NORMS
- *PUTIN SAID NEED TO JOINTLY SEEK SOLUTION FOR STABLE UKRAINE
And then this:
- *KREMLIN SAYS OBAMA CONGRATULATED PUTIN ON SOCHI PARALYMPICS
With a voter turnout (79.09%) that exceeded every US Presidential election since 1900 [7], the people of Crimea have spoken:
- *CRIMEA JOINING RUSSIA BACKED BY 93% OF VOTERS: EXIT POLL
- *U.K. FOREIGN SECRETARY: U.K. WON'T RECOGNIZE CRIMEAN REFERENDUM
Ukraine's leaders have called up 20,000 men for a newly-created National Guard as despite the so-called "truce" Russian APCs and Tanks are rolling. Pro-Russian supporters are burning books in Donetsk after storming anti-Russian buildings. The White House is already out [8] rejecting the vote (before the final results are released).
Voter Turnout (by region):
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As exit polls confirm overhwleming support for Crimea to join Russia...
- Exit poll by Crimea-based Republican Institute for Political and Sociological Studies released by Kryminform news service.
- 93% of voters back joining Russia: exit poll
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Exit poll: ????? 93% ??????? ????? ????????????? ?? ????????????? ? ??
— ??? ??????? (@riabreakingnews) March 16, 2014 [12]
[13]
Despite the so-called truce, Russian APC and Tanks are moving...
Pro-Russian supporters are burning books in Donetsk
[14]
And Kharkiv is dominated by Pro-Russia supporters carry this huge Russian flag...
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White House Statement:
Carney on Crimea referendum: "Russia’s actions are dangerous and destabilizing" pic.twitter.com/pfAmgxLTRG [16]
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) March 16, 2014 [17]
The US is rejecting the vote [8]:
The U.S. is rejecting the vote in Crimea even before the results are released.
The White House says Sunday's referendum on succession is contrary to Ukraine's constitution.
The U.S. says the world won't recognize the results of a vote held under what it says are "threats of violence and intimidation from a Russian military intervention that violates international law."
A written statement from the White House calls Russia's actions in Ukraine "dangerous and destabilizing."
The U.S. is urging other nations to "take concrete steps to impose costs" against Russia.
Secession was expected to be approved overwhelmingly.
And so is the UK:
- *U.K. FOREIGN SECRETARY: U.K. WON'T RECOGNIZE CRIMEAN REFERENDUM
- *U.K.'S HAGUE SAYS CRIMEAN REFERENDUM UNCONSTITUTIONAL
- *U.K.'S HAGUE SAYS THERE SHOULD BE CONSEQUENCES FOR RUSSIA
- *HAGUE: `UNACCEPTABLE' FOR RUSSIA TO TAKE MORE ACTION IN UKRAINE
And The EU:
- *EU REITERATES CRIMEAN REFERENDUM IS ILLEGAL, ILLEGITIMATE
- *EU SAYS IT WON'T RECOGNISE OUTCOME OF CRIMEAN REFERENDUM
- *EU TO DECIDE ON ADDITIONAL MEASURES AGAINST RUSSIA TOMORROW
And the French:
- *FABIUS SAYS CRIMEA REFERENDUM ILLEGAL, AGAINST UKRAINE CONST.
- *FABIUS SAYS RUSSIA HAS RESPONBILITIES AS UN SEC. COUNCIL MEMBER
- *FABIUS SAYS RUSSIA MUST RESPECT UKRAINE TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY
Now it's up to Putin... to weigh these potential "costs" against his gains...
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