Crimea declares independence from Ukraine

The Crimean parliament said Monday the region an independent state, after its people voted overwhelmingly to break away from Ukraine and Russia seek to join.

In the same resolution, he said that all the property of the Ukrainian state on the territory of the peninsula on the Black Sea will be nationalized and became the property of the Republic of Crimea.

Referendum on Sunday is not recognized by the West, and the United States and the European Union are preparing sanctions against Russia, whose troops were occupying the Crimea for several weeks.

Crimean lawmakers asked the United Nations and other countries recognize it.