Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed Monday a decree recognizing Crimea as a sovereign and independent country.

Russia reveals proposal to end Ukraine crisis

MOSCOW, WASHINGTON, BRUSSELS -- The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged Ukraine to organize itself as a federal state and call new elections.

Ukraine’s presidential candidate and former boxing champion Vitali Klitschko has warned of a humanitarian crisis in Crimea.

EU will "provide financial support" to Ukraine and help it with "securing energy supply".

The decision was announced by EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Baroness Catherine Ashton, at a press conference.

She underscored the EU's commitment to the financial stabilization of the country. 

Crimean Parliament has approved a bill seizing assets of Ukrainian oil and gas enterprises operating in the region.

Resources owned by Chernomorneftegaz and Ukrtransgaz, entities dealing with extraction and transportation of fuel, have thus passed into the hands of local authorities, Russian agency RIA Novosti has reported.

From economic point of view, there is no sense for Russia to annex Crimea, writes the German newspaper Die Welt. 

The newspaper quotes Russia's finance minister Anton Siluanov who said that the annual deficit in Crimea's budget is around EUR 700 M and nearly half of it has been covered by Ukraine's state budget. 

A new federal constitution and fresh elections are among suggestions that Russian Foreign Ministry made to Ukraine on Monday.

In a statement posted on its website, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged Ukraine's parliament to call a constitutional assembly and draft a new constitution which envisages handling more power to the regions.

Ukrainian Parliament in Kiev has formally approved the partial mobilization of 40 000 reservists.

The move, which was initiated by a presidential decree, is in response to the "war-time" situation, as lawmakers described Crimea region's vote to join Russia.

96.76 percent of Crimeans vote in favor of joining Russia

CRIMEA -- The leaders of the Crimea have said that 96.6 percent of the population of this Black Sea peninsula voted to secede from Ukraine and join Russia.

The population of Ukraine's Crimea region has backed a split from Ukraine, local election officials have said.

On a referendum on Sunday, 97% of voters, or more than 1.2 million people, cast their ballot in favour of joining the Russian Federation, RIA Novosti has reported.