The referendum of the status of the autonomous republic of Crimea will be held on March 30.



The initial date was May 25, when will be held the early elections for president of Ukraine.



“Due to its apparent urgency, we decided to set the referendum for an earlier date”, said the Crimean prime minister Serhiy Aksionov.



According to the Euromaidan in English website, the question to be voted by the Crimea residents is, "Autonomous Republic of Crimea has state independence and is part of Ukraine based on agreements and treaties." (yes or no).



Meanwhile, Aksionov said that the situation in Crimea has calmed down and is stable and he cooperates with Russian military, who have a naval base in Sevastopol, to establish peace in the region.

The Russian news agency RIA Novosti reports that the speaker of Russia's upper chamber of parliament Valentina Matvienko said the deputies are considering the deployment of a small detachment of the Russian army to “ensure the safety” of the naval base and the Russians in Crimea.

According to Ukraine's defence minister Igor Tenyuh, Russia already has 6000 soldiers in Crimea.