Crimea’s parliament has formally declared independence from Ukraine and asked to join the Russian Federation.
This comes a day after a controversial referendum which overwhelmingly backed leaving Ukraine.
According to a statement on its website, the Parliament made a proposal to the Russian Federation to “admit the Republic of Crimea as a new subject with the status of a republic.”
A Crimean parliamentary delegation was expected to arrive in Moscow on Monday to discuss the procedures required for the Black Sea peninsula to become part of the Russian Federation.
However, the government in Kiev says it would not recognize the results, referring to the referendum as a “circus” directed at gunpoint by Moscow, as the Crimean peninsula had been seized for two weeks now by troops under apparent Russian command.
The US and EU has also said that the vote was illegal and have vowed to impose sanctions on Moscow, including travel bans and asset freezes on 21 officials from Russia and Ukraine.
The Crimean peninsula has been under the control of pro-Russia forces since late February.
The crisis follows the ousting of Ukraine’s pro-Moscow President, Viktor Yanukovych on February 22, following months of street protests and deadly clashes.
