Crimea declares independence; West hits back
KYIV, Ukraine — Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree recognizing Crimea as a “sovereign and independent country.”
The Kremlin said Putin signed the decree on Monday, the day after the Black Sea peninsula voted to declare independence from Ukraine and seek annexation by Russia.
John-Thor Dahlburg in Simferopol, Nedra Pickler in Washington, Pan Pylas in London and Mike Corder and Raf Casert in Brussels contributed to this story.