Russian president Vladimir Putin said Moscow could not but respond to Crimea's request for help, otherwise it would be a betrayal.

It was necessary to create conditions for the Crimeans to be able to implement their right to determine their own fate, Putin emphasized.

Putin referred to the decisions of UN and U.S. on Kosovo as a precedent in the situation over Crimea referendum.

Putin thanked Ukrainian servicemen who did not stain hands with blood in Crimea, and added that “the Russian armed forces did not intervene in Crimea, and Russia did not exceed the number of troops stationed on the base, namely 25,000”.