CRIMEA DECLARES INDEPENDENCE FROM UKRAINE, APPLIES TO JOIN RUSSIA

Crimea's regional assembly on Monday declared independence from Ukraine and applied to join Russia, saying all Ukrainian state property on the peninsula would be nationalised.

Crimea's local prime minister Sergiy Aksyonov also tweeted that starting on March 30, the region would switch to Moscow time (GMT +4), two hours ahead of the current time in Crimea. The document was approved by all 85 deputies present in the 100-seat assembly, after a disputed referendum yesterday in which Crimeans voted overwhelmingly to join Russia.

"The Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea... declares Crimea an independent sovereign state -- the Republic of Crimea," the document said.

"The republic of Crimea appeals to the United Nations and to all countries of the world to recognise it as an independent state," read a document approved by the assembly.

"The Republic of Crimea... applies to the Russian Federation to accept the Republic of Crimea as a member of the Russian Federation,"

"All establishments, businesses and other organisations of Ukraine or with Ukrainian participation on the territory of Crimea will belong to Crimea," it added.