Putin signs agreement on occupation of Crimea

The agreement making the peninsula a part of Russia has been signed in the Kremlin.

Russian president Vladimir Putin and representatives of the self-declared of the Crimean authorities – “head of the government” Sergei Aksyonov, speaker of the Crimean parliament, which was dissolved by the Verkhovna Rada, Vladimir Konstantinov and Sevestopol's “mayor” Aleksei Chaly signed the agreement to incorporate Crimea and Sevastopol into Russia.

The Russian parliament is expected to ratify the agreement. Amendments to the Russian Constitution will be another stage of the occupation of Crimea. Putin ordered members of the parliament to prepare the necessary amendments.

The agreement says Crimea is considered to be a part of Russia after signing the document. Under the agreement, two new entities – the Republic of Crimea and city of the federal importance Sevastopol – will appear in the Russian Federation, Lenta.ru reports.

The new entities will be integrated into the legal, economic, financial and credit systems of Russia within a transition period that will be acting until January 1, 2015. Crimea will have elections in September 2015.

Under the agreement, all citizens of Ukraine and persons without citizenship permanently residing in Crimea will obtain Russian citizenship. Those wanting to keep their current passports must notify the relative agencies in the nearest month.

The self-declared authorities of Crimea declared independence on March 17 after a 'referendum', which allegedly showed that 96% of the region's residents voted for joining Russia. The Ukrainian authorities, the US and the EU say the referendum was illegal. They refuse to recognise its results.