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Ukraine crisis: Crimea holds secession referendum Ukraine crisis: Pro-Russians flock to Crimea vote
(about 2 hours later)
Crimea is voting on whether to rejoin Russia or stay with Ukraine but with more autonomy. Supporters of Crimea's attempt to secede from Ukraine and join Russia have flocked to vote in a referendum denounced by Kiev and Western powers.
The referendum has been condemned as "illegal" by Kiev and the West but is backed by Moscow. Election chief Mykhaylo Malyshev said 44.27% had turned out after six hours, which he called "record-breaking".
Since the fall of Ukraine's pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych, Russian troops have in effect taken control of the majority ethnic-Russian region. A vast majority of voters interviewed by journalists backed secession. Many opponents are boycotting the vote.
Voters are expected to support leaving Ukraine, but Crimean Tatars are boycotting the poll. Russian forces took control of Crimea in February after Ukraine's pro-Russian president was overthrown.
There are reports of a high turnout at polling stations visited by the BBC in the capital, Simferopol, and mainly Tartar Bakhchisaray. But all Tatars spoken to by the BBC in Bakhchisaray said they would not vote.
Election official Mykhaylo Malyshev said there had been a "record-breaking turnout" of 44.27%, after six hours of voting.
Voting across Crimea started at 08:00 local time and will close at 20:00 (18:00 GMT).
On the ballot paper, voters are being asked whether they would like Crimea to rejoin Russia.On the ballot paper, voters are being asked whether they would like Crimea to rejoin Russia.
A second question asks whether Ukraine should return to its status under the 1992 constitution, which would give the region much greater autonomy.A second question asks whether Ukraine should return to its status under the 1992 constitution, which would give the region much greater autonomy.
Some 1.5m voters are eligible to cast their ballots, and the first results are expected to be released shortly after the referendum. There is no option for those who want the constitutional situation to remain unchanged.
Ethnic Russians form a clear majority in the region (58.5%), and many of them are expected to vote for joining Russia. Some 1.5 million are eligible to vote, and the first results are expected to be released shortly after polling stations close at 20:00 (18:00 GMT).
Crimea's pro-Russian Prime Minister, Sergey Aksyonov, casting his ballot, said the vote was going well. Ethnic Russians make up 58.5% of the region's population and many of them are expected to vote for joining Russia.
"As you can see, people are voting freely. There are no problems at polling stations. I don't feel or see that any pressure is being applied," he told Interfax news agency. Sergey Aksyonov, who was installed as Crimea's regional government leader after Russia's military takeover, said the people were voting freely.
At a busy polling station in Sevastopol, one voter, a 66-year-old woman, described the day as a holiday. "I want to go home to Russia. It's been so long since I've seen my mama," she sang to an AP reporter, using the words of a patriotic song. "There are no problems at polling stations. I don't feel or see that any pressure is being applied," he told Interfax news agency.
But there are also those who would like Crimea to stay part of Ukraine but with more local powers. One voter, Olga Koziko, told the BBC that she was voting for secession because she did not want to be governed by "those Nazis who came to power in Kiev".
"In my opinion, Ukraine should have full autonomy so it can look after its own finances. There should be no pressure from the government. I favour independence," Serhiy Reshetnyk told the BBC. "Russia will defend us and protect us," the schoolteacher said.
'Radical groups' Away from the Crimea region, unrest continued in the south-east Ukrainian city of Donetsk.
In the south-east Ukrainian city of Donetsk, pro-Russian protesters stormed the prosecutor's building shouting "Donetsk is a Russian city!", and then broke into the local security services headquarters. Pro-Russian protesters stormed the prosecutor's building shouting "Donetsk is a Russian city", and then broke into the local security services headquarters for the second time in two days.
Clashes with pro-Kiev demonstrators have left one person dead in Donetsk in recent days, and the protesters are demanding that the prosecutor release a pro-Russian leader, Pavel Gubarev. They later dispersed but promised to return on Monday.
The Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin had told German Chancellor Angela Merkel by phone he was concerned by escalating tensions in Donetsk, blaming what he called radical groups which had the consent of Kiev. The protesters are demanding that the prosecutor release a pro-Russian leader, Pavel Gubarev.
Mr Putin told Mrs Merkel Sunday's referendum was legal and Moscow would respect the result, the Kremlin added. The Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin had told German Chancellor Angela Merkel by phone he was concerned by escalating tensions in Donetsk, blaming "radical groups" which had the consent of Kiev.
The German chancellor's spokesman said she had proposed expanding the presence of international observers from the OSCE in east Ukraine and that Mr Putin had welcomed the plan. Mr Putin told Mrs Merkel that Sunday's referendum was legal and Moscow would respect the result.
The German chancellor's spokesman said she had proposed expanding the presence of international observers from the OSCE in easternUkraine and that Mr Putin had welcomed the plan.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk warned that the authorities would track down separatist "ringleaders".
"We will find all of them - if it takes one year, two years - and bring them to justice and try them in Ukrainian and international courts," he said.
In other developments:In other developments:
Russia on Saturday vetoed a draft UN resolution criticising the vote - the only Security Council member to do so. Russia on Saturday vetoed a draft UN resolution criticising the vote - the only Security Council member to vote against it.
The US-drafted document was supported by 13 Council members. China, regarded as a Russian ally on many issues, abstained from the poll. Moscow's main ally China abstained, ensuring Russia's isolation.
Explaining Beijing's decision, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said the draft resolution would "only result in confrontation and further complicate the situation".
The US and EU had warned they would impose further tough sanctions on Russian officials if the referendum went ahead.The US and EU had warned they would impose further tough sanctions on Russian officials if the referendum went ahead.
Russia intervened in the Crimean peninsula by seizing control of government buildings and blocking Ukraine's troops at their bases after the fall of President Yanukovych on 22 February. The Crimean region was part of Russia until 1954 and Russia's Black Sea fleet is based in Ukrainian ports.
However, the Kremlin officially denies deploying extra troops there, describing them as Crimea's "self-defence forces". But Moscow has signed agreements promising to uphold Ukraine's territorial integrity.
The authorities in Kiev - backed by the EU and US - have condemned the Crimea vote as "illegitimate". They say a free vote is impossible under a "barrel of the gun".
The Ukrainian parliament has also voted to disband Crimea's regional assembly.
The Crimean region was part of Russia until 1954.
Russia's Black Sea fleet is also based in Crimea. But Moscow has signed agreements promising to uphold Ukraine's territorial integrity.
Are you in Crimea? Are you planning to vote in the referendum? Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with the subject heading 'Crimea vote'.Are you in Crimea? Are you planning to vote in the referendum? Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with the subject heading 'Crimea vote'.