Kiev tense after its secession vote
While war didn’t come, fear still prevails on streets
KIEV, UKRAINE People here were somewhat relieved Monday that the war that had been anticipated to blow up immediately following the referendum had not come.
But a feeling of uncertainty and dread remained.
It was just a few weeks ago that Ukrainians in the Maidan square were jubilant at the ouster of the hated president Viktor Yanukovych. But on Monday they could be seen preparing for a coming conflict, standing at the barricades of rubble that shielded protesters from bullets during protests last month.
Nikolei Korbelnikov, commander of the Crimean brigade based in Kiev’s Independence Square since December, said he was worried that he could no longer return to his mother and friends on the peninsula.
He said his fame as commander of a brigade during the protests means that he is too well known.
“This victory in the referendum is just another stage in the propaganda war,” Korbelnikov said. “I know what the levels of support (to join Russia) were before I left Crimea and they were about 15% for Russia, 25% for Europe and the rest could live without either.”
He added that he did not think that had changed, despite the results of the vote.
Korbelnikov is volunteering with the Red Cross helping to send sleeping mats, sleeping bags and medical supplies to the regions in Ukraine where they may be needed if there’s violence and people flee their homes.
Crimea’s regional assembly Monday unanimously voted to declare the peninsula independent from Ukraine and petition Russia to admit it to the federation after a huge majority of Crimeans voted to join with Russia.
Crimean Prime Minister Sergei Aksyonov welcomed the outcome of the referendum, which saw 96% of voters cast their ballots in favor of union with Moscow, according to Russian news media. He declared via Twitter the region would move to Russian time starting March 30.
Acting President Oleksandr Turchynov vowed that Ukraine will not give up Crimea but that he would “be doing everything to solve the conflict through diplomatic means.”