95.7% of Crimeans vote to join Russia: Official

Nearly 96 percent of the people in the Republic of Crimea have voted in favor of breaking away from Ukraine and joining Russia, a referendum commission official says.

Head of the Referendum Commission Mikhail Malyshev said early Monday that 95.7 percent voted in the recent referendum to join Russia with the votes in three-quarters of the polling stations having been counted.

“Votes have been counted 100 percent at three-quarters of polling stations. Some 95.7 percent of voters supported Crimea’s accession to Russia,” said Malyshev.

The commission head added that 3.2 percent were opposed to Crimea’s accession and 1.1 percent of the ballots were declared invalid.

According to Malyshev, the referendum turnout reached 82.7 percent of the electorate.

Crimean Prime Minister Sergei Aksyonov has hailed the referendum saying, “We’re going home. Crimea is going to Russia.”

Aksyonov also said that the regional government would make a formal application later on Monday to join the Russian Federation.

Russia’s lower house of parliament is expected to pass legislation allowing Ukraine’s autonomous Crimea region to join Russia.

Russian Deputy Speaker Sergei Neverov commented on the results of the referendum, saying the outcome clearly shows that the residents of Crimea see their future only as part of Russia.

The Sunday referendum followed weeks of tension between the West and Russia over Crimea.

The United States and the European Union have rejected the referendum, which they say is against Ukraine’s constitution and international law. Russia says, however, that the people in Crimea have the right to self-determination.

Following the vote, US President Barack Obama told Russian President Vladimir Putin that Crimea’s secession from Ukraine to join Russia “would never be recognized” by Washington.

EU foreign ministers are meanwhile set to meet on Monday to discuss imposing measures, including visa bans and asset freezes on those involved in Russia’s actions over Crimea.