A woman leaves a voting booth in Sevastopol, Ukraine, on Sunday, March 16. Polls opened Sunday morning in a referendum in Ukraine's Crimea region, in which voters are to voice their wish to either join Russia or become an effectively independent state connected to Ukraine.
Ukraine's Crimea region votes —
A woman leaves a voting booth in Sevastopol, Ukraine, on Sunday, March 16. Polls opened Sunday morning in a referendum in Ukraine's Crimea region, in which voters are to voice their wish to either join Russia or become an effectively independent state connected to Ukraine.
VIKTOR DRACHEV/AFP/Getty Images
Solodkova Natalia, who was not healthy enough to visit a polling station, casts her vote at her home in Bakhchysaray, Ukraine, on March 16.
Photos: Ukraine's Crimea region votes —
Solodkova Natalia, who was not healthy enough to visit a polling station, casts her vote at her home in Bakhchysaray, Ukraine, on March 16.
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Pro-Russian Crimeans dance as they celebrate in Sevastopol, Ukraine, on March 16.
Photos: Ukraine's Crimea region votes —
Pro-Russian Crimeans dance as they celebrate in Sevastopol, Ukraine, on March 16.
VIKTOR DRACHEV/AFP/Getty Images
A Crimean man holds a Soviet Union flag in Lenin Square in Simferopol, Ukraine, on March 16.
Photos: Ukraine's Crimea region votes —
A Crimean man holds a Soviet Union flag in Lenin Square in Simferopol, Ukraine, on March 16.
DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP/Getty Images
A man holds a ballot after casting a vote in favor of separation from Ukraine in the Crimean referendum in Simferopol, Ukraine, on March 16.
Photos: Ukraine's Crimea region votes —
A man holds a ballot after casting a vote in favor of separation from Ukraine in the Crimean referendum in Simferopol, Ukraine, on March 16.
Vadim Ghirda/AP
Referendum staff wait to collect the vote of WWII veteran Grinevich Oleksander in Bakhchysaray, Ukraine, on March 16.
Photos: Ukraine's Crimea region votes —
Referendum staff wait to collect the vote of WWII veteran Grinevich Oleksander in Bakhchysaray, Ukraine, on March 16.
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
People stand in line to vote at a bank office in Simferopol, Ukraine. Results are expected on Monday. The United States has already said it expects the Black Sea peninsula's majority ethnic Russian population to vote in favor of joining Russia.
Ukraine's Crimea region votes —
People stand in line to vote at a bank office in Simferopol, Ukraine. Results are expected on Monday. The United States has already said it expects the Black Sea peninsula's majority ethnic Russian population to vote in favor of joining Russia.
EPA/YURI KOCHETKOV /LANDOV
People sign up to receive their ballots from electoral staff at a polling station in Sevastopol.
Ukraine's Crimea region votes —
People sign up to receive their ballots from electoral staff at a polling station in Sevastopol.
EPA/ZURAB KURTSIKIDZE /LANDOV
A woman casts her ballot in the Crimean referendum in Simferopol.
Ukraine's Crimea region votes —
A woman casts her ballot in the Crimean referendum in Simferopol.
Vadim Ghirda/AP
The newly installed pro-Russian leader of Crimea, Sergey Aksyonov, casts his ballot at a polling station. He called on the residents of Crimea to cast their votes "independent of nationalism and disintegration."
Ukraine's Crimea region votes —
The newly installed pro-Russian leader of Crimea, Sergey Aksyonov, casts his ballot at a polling station. He called on the residents of Crimea to cast their votes "independent of nationalism and disintegration."
Ivan Sekretarev/AP
Cossacks guard the regional parliament building during the Crimean referendum in Simferopol.
Ukraine's Crimea region votes —
Cossacks guard the regional parliament building during the Crimean referendum in Simferopol.
Vadim Ghirda/AP
Voters talk to election officials inside a polling station in Simferopol.
Ukraine's Crimea region votes —
Voters talk to election officials inside a polling station in Simferopol.
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
People vote inside a polling station in Simferopol. If the vote goes in favor of joining Russia, Crimea's government will declare its independence and ask Moscow to let it join the Russian Federation.
Ukraine's Crimea region votes —
People vote inside a polling station in Simferopol. If the vote goes in favor of joining Russia, Crimea's government will declare its independence and ask Moscow to let it join the Russian Federation.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images