(VOVworld) – Preliminary results of Sunday’s Crimean referendum indicate that most Crimeans are in favour of Crimea becoming part of Russia.

Pro-Russia crowds celebrated after voting in the Crimean capital Simferopol.

Mikhail Malyshev, head of the referendum committee, said more than 95% voted for Crimea’s merging with Russia. 83% of the Crimean population cast votes and so far the referendum committee has not received any complaints regarding polling activities.
In another development, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his US counterpart John Kerry have agreed to continue to seek a solution to the Ukrainian crisis. In a phone conversation on Sunday, the two agreed that constitutional reform should be carried out with support from the international community.
The same day, in a phone call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russian President Vladimir Putin insisted that the Crimean referendum is in full conformity with international law, particularly Article 1 of the UN Charter, and the principles of equality and self-determination.