REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko
A Russian army MI-35 military helicopter patrols the area as Ukrainian servicemen guard a checkpoint near the village of Strelkovo in Kherson region adjacent to Crimea, March 16, 2014.
The big question, now that Russia has effectively annexed Crimea (even though the international community does not recognize the move), is what happens next.
Here's what Crimea's pro-Russian deputy prime minister told Richard Engel of NBC News:
Crimean Deputy PM Rustam Temirgaliev on referendum: "It's the first step. I really think so. I think second step will be with east Ukraine."
- James Novogrod (@JamieNBCNews) March 16, 2014
Currently, the major concern of the ongoing Ukraine crisis is that pro-Russian special forces and other provocateurs will foment unrest in Ukraine's east and south, which have sizable ethnic Russian populations, and Russia will subsequently enter those areas under the pretext of protecting ethnic Russians.
The Kremlin used the same argument for its low-key invasion of Crimea.
And on Sunday, in the eastern city of Donetsk, pro-Russian demonstrators smashed their way into public buildings and burned Ukrainian-language books.
In a phone call with German Chancellor Angel Merkel, Russian President Vladimir Putin apparently "expressed concern over tensions in eastern and south-eastern parts of Ukraine," claiming that unrest is being instigated by radical groups in connection with the current Kiev authorities.
In this context, Ukrainians fear a full-on Russian invasion. A more likely reality in the short-to-medium term may be a slow subversion of order by pro-Russian groups in the eastern part of the country.
In any case, the Ukrainian soldiers in Crimea guarding their bases are getting very uneasy as the Russians continue to surround them after the referendum.
On the troops: "Do they have to leave?" asks .@RichardEngel about Ukrainian military. "Yes," says Crimea Deputy PM.
- James Novogrod (@JamieNBCNews) March 16, 2014