Crimea's new information minister has told ITV News that the planned referendum on Sunday is no different to the situation in Scotland and Catalonia.

The snipers who shot at protesters and police in Kiev last month were allegedly hired by opposition leaders, according to a leaked recording of a phone call between the European Union foreign affairs chief Baroness Ashton and Estonia’s foreign minister Urmas Paet.

In a statement, Estonia's foreign ministry has confirmed its authenticity and said the conversation took place on February 26, after their minister's return from Kiev.

In the recording - which was broadcast online by the state-controlled TV channel Russia Today - Mr Paet claims he has been told of evidence that suggests the opposition hired the snipers which shot at protesters and police.

"Evidence shows that the people who were killed by snipers from both sides was the same snipers killing people from both sides," he is heard saying.

"There is now stronger and stronger understanding that behind the snipers it was not Yanukovich but it was somebody from the new coalition."

A woman, believed to be Baroness Ashton, replied: "I think we do want to investigate. I mean, I didn’t pick that up, that’s interesting. Gosh.”