Voting in Crimea

Turnout is high in Crimea as voters decide whether the region should split from Ukraine and join Russia.

. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) LOCAL ELECTION OBSERVER, ALEXANDER DEMIDOV, SAYING:

"Today, by lunch time, 80 percent of voters already came to the polling station. We don't know how they voted. We will know only after all votes are counted, but we see that voters are active as never before."

Both the West and Kiev have been powerless to stop the referendum.

The leader of Russian bikers group "The Night Wolves" drove into town to show support

(SOUNDBITE) (Russian) PRESIDENT OF RUSSIAN BIKERS' CLUB 'NIGHT WOLVES', KNOWN UNDER THE NICKNAME "THE SURGEON", SAYING:

"It was a great holiday for me. Not that it is just me who came home, this city as well... The one phrase I have in my head now "Sevastopol, welcome home!"

Western countries say the vote, which is likely to favor union with Russia is illegal.