Crimea’s parliament has voted to become part of the Russian Federation.
The southern Ukrainian region’s parliament said the decision would be put to the Crimean people for their verdict in a referendum on March 16.
A government minister in Kiev said they believe it would be unconstitutional for Crimea to join Russia.
Crimea, a region whose population is mostly ethnic Russian (58.5%), has been at the centre of tensions following the fall of Ukraine’s pro-Moscow president.
Pro-Russian and Russian forces have been in de facto control of the peninsula, which already enjoys a degree of autonomy from Kiev, for several days.
The announcement from Crimea’s parliament comes as EU leaders are meeting in Brussels to discuss how to respond to Russia’s troop deployment on Ukrainian soil.
The Crimean parliament resolved “to enter into the Russian Federation with the rights of a subject of the Russian Federation”.
In a statement on its website, parliament said it has asked Russian President Vladimir Putin “to start the procedure” of formally allowing Crimea to join the Russian Federation.
The Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin was aware of developments in the Crimean parliament, but no response has yet been made public.
If Russia agrees to Crimea’s request, the Crimean people will be asked two questions in the March 16 referendum, the statement says.
1. Are you in favor of reuniting Crimea with Russia as a subject of the Russian Federation?
2. Are you in favor of retaining the status of Crimea as part of Ukraine?
Ukraine’s interim Economy Minister Pavlo Sheremeta, speaking in Kiev soon after the announcement was made, said: “We’re not working out what to do if Crimea joins the Russian Federation because we believe it’s unconstitutional.”
[youtube t44HaDJ8v6s 650]
