To no one’s surprise, the voters in Crimea voted on a referendum to secede from the Ukraine and join Russia. About 95% of the vote was to secede with about half the ballots counted. Meanwhile, as tensions heat up between America and Russia, Obama was very busy today. He filled out his annual NCAA college basketball brackets for ESPN, showing the world just how serious of a leader he really is. Vladimir Putin took less time to annex Crimea than Obama takes to finish a round of golf.
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| Crimea votes to secede from Ukraine – Obama fills out ESPN brackets |
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Crimean voters on Sunday overwhelmingly backed a referendum to secede from Ukraine and join Russia, in an election denounced by the United States, Europe and the Ukrainian government as illegal and destabilizing.
Fireworks exploded and Russian flags fluttered above jubilant crowds after the vote, which election officials said stood at 95 percent with more than half of the ballots counted.
The vote offered voters on the strategic Black Sea peninsula the choice of seeking annexation by Russia or remaining in Ukraine with greater autonomy.
Opponents of secession appeared to largely stay away Sunday, denouncing the vote as a cynical power play/land grab by Russia. But turnout was reported to be well above the 50 percent that would make the referendum binding — and secession was expected to be approved overwhelmingly.
“Today is an important day for all of Crimea, Ukraine and Russia,” voter Manita Meshchina said in Sevastopol, the Crimean port where Russia now leases a major naval base from Ukraine for $98 million a year.