Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a treaty to absorb Crimea and the city of Sevastopol into the Russian Federation.
The move has drawn strong condemnation from Kiev, which says the move has turned the political conflict into a military one.
CRI's Su Yi has more.
Reporter: The Russia-Crimea treaty comes just one day after the Crimean parliament declared independence from Ukraine following Sunday's referendum, which say nearly 97-percent of those in Crimea vote in favor of leaving Ukraine.
The signing of the treaty has been televised live after Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the Russian Parliament.
Putin has told Russian lawmakers that he believes in his heart-of-hearts that Crimea has always been part of Russia, saying the return of the territory is legal.
But at the same time, Putin is also on-record saying he does not want to see Ukraine break up.
"Don't believe those who scare you about Russia, who say that other regions will follow after Crimea. We don't want a division of Ukraine, we don't need that. As for Crimea, it was and will remain the Russian as well as the Ukrainian and the Crimean Tatar's one."
As expected, Ukraine's government in Kiev has strongly condemned Putin's move, calling him a threat to the entire world.
Ukrainian acting Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk says Russian soldiers have turned a political conflict into a military one.
"It is an international theft when under the cover of troops and weapons one country, using force and thinking that they will never have answer for their actions, just temporarily steal a part of an independent state."
Ukraine's military is reporting one of its military bases on the Crimean peninsula has been stormed by Russian soldiers, resulting in a Ukrainian soldier's death.
Meanwhile, the move by Russia to absorb Crimea into the Federation has been drawing strong reaction among Ukraine's neighbors.
The Baltic state of Estonia is also calling on the European Union to step up its sanctions against Russia, suggesting an arms embargo should be the next step.
US vice president Joe Biden is describing the Russian move to take control of Crimea as an illegal act.
"And now today with steps to annex Crimea. We've joined Poland and the international community in condemning the continuing assault on Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and the blatant, the blatant violation of international law by Mr. Putin in Russia."
The newly-proclaimed Republic of Crimea has decided to use the Russian rouble as its official currency.
The authorities there have also decided to switch to Russian time by moving the clock forward two hours at the end of this month.
The treaty to absorb Crimea will still have to be endorsed by Russia's Constitutional Court and ratified by both houses of parliament, moves that are expected to be completed by the end of the week.
For CRI, I am Su Yi.
