Putin approves draft agreement on Russia's accepting Republic of Crimea and organisation of new federation members.
The referendum on Crimea's status was organised on March 16. The turnout exceeded 81 percent. As 75 percent of the ballots were processes, 95.7 voters supported Crimea's joining the Russian Federation.
Russia apparently intent upon annexing the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, the United States and European Union are poised to adopt sanctions on Russian senior officials and business elites that just a few weeks ago would have been unthinkable.
TASS