An overwhelming majority of Crimeans have voted in favour of secession from Ukraine and being annexed by Russia in a referendum the European Union and the West have condemned as illegal, as tensions continue to escalate in a crisis likened to the worst of its kind since the Cold War.
According to Reuters/AFP and Bloomberg, Russian news agency Ria Novosti are reporting that early exit polls from the widely-disputed referendum indicate that somewhere between 93-95.5% of Crimeans want to become part of Russia, their choice at the ballots paralleled in enthusiastic and widespread celebrations taking place in Simferopol’s Lenin Square (pictured above).
Despite a temporary truce between pro-Ukraine authorities and Russia that will last four more days in the region, Russian forces continue to surround Ukrainian naval and military bases, also seizing a natural gas distribution plant over the weekend. In response to a reported 60,000 Russian troops lining the border, the Ukrainian government has also announced plans to close borders, arm and train another 15,000 – 20,000 citizens to form a National Guard to defend its territories.
Through threatening further economic sanctions, both Washington and Brussels have made apparent their rejection of the Crimean ballot, which – in a sentiment echoed by a recent poll elsewhere – gave voters two options, both of which found in favour of the reunification of Crimea and the Russian Federation. The first endorsed Crimea’s complete annexation by Russia, and the other opted for a return to the state’s more autonomous 1992 constitution, which would still allow for alignment with Russia.
Meanwhile, the 34th biannual Ukraine Fashion Week kicked off over the weekend, with organisers remaining steadfast in their decision to stage the event and make clear their stance on Russia’s invasion of a sovereign nation through fetching sports luxe sweatshirts emblazoned with the words ‘Stop Putin’, ‘Glory for Ukraine’ and ‘Stop Regime’, and through accessories like bullet-proof vests and gas masks.
Photo: Viktor Drachev, AFP via Getty
