Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized Crimea as an independent nation, showing support for the Sunday referendum where the majority of the peninsula's population voted to secede from Ukraine.
The announcement was posted on the Kremlin website on Monday. Putin signed an order that stated Crimea was an independent country effective immediately, The Washington Post reported.
"Given the declaration of will by the Crimean people in a nationwide referendum held on March 16, 2014, the Russian Federation is to recognize the Republic of Crimea as a sovereign and independent state, whose city of Sevastopol has a special status," the statement said. Russia's fleet in the Black Sea is mainly located in the Sevastopol port.
The referendum does not mean Crimea will immediately become a part of Russia. But local authorities in Crimea hope it will pave the way for the peninsula to become a part of the Russian Federation, The Post reported.
Crimea held the referendum against arguments from Western nations saying it is illegal. The U.S. issued sanctions, including asset freezes and a travel ban, on several Russian and Ukrainian authorities that were considered "cronies" of Putin and the Russian military. The EU also imposed similar sanctions.
The goal of the sanctions was "to isolate Russia for its actions, and to reassure our allies and partners" of American support, President Barack Obama said according to The Post.
Russian troops are currently stationed all over Crimea, which Putin previously said was necessary to protect Russian interests. Putin believes that ethnic Russians in Crimea needed protection from local fascist groups.
But the West says Putin's actions and the referendum are against international law. Even Hillary Clinton compared Putin's actions to what Hitler did during Nazi Germany.
"Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected, and international law must be upheld," Obama said according to The Post.
Experts say the damage from the referendum is already done.
"Crimea is lost," international relations professor Anatol Lieven, from King's College London, told The Post. "The question now, and it's a vastly greater strategic question, is what happens in eastern Ukraine."
