The mayor of the Crimean city of Belogorsk, Albert Kangiev, refused to support a referendum on the possibility of the region joining Russia. This was reported by Crimea News .

“In my opinion, this action has nothing in common, except for the name, with the referendum,” the official said. According to the publication, he is of the opinion that such a referendum is contrary to the constitution and that, in addition, “there is neither the time nor the technical capabilities to sufficiently prepare for its holding.”

Previously, Albert Kangiev was a member of the Party of Regions, which until recently had the status of ruling in Ukraine. However, at the end of February, the mayor, like a number of other officials and deputies, announced his withdrawal from the Party of Regions (this happened against the backdrop of the defeat of the Ukrainian authorities in the fight against the opposition and clashes in Kyiv, during which dozens of people died). According to QHA , he explained his step by “the impossibility of staying further in the ranks of this party.”

Belogorsk is the administrative center of the Belogorsk district, it is located approximately 40 kilometers from Simferopol. The population, according to data 2012 provided on the city council website, was about 18 thousand people. In terms of national composition, 35 percent were Russians, about the same amount were Crimean Tatars, 22 percent were Ukrainians, 8 percent were representatives of other nationalities.

Earlier, information also appeared that the Crimean referendum was being “ignored” by the acting mayor of Yalta Sergei Karnaukh (it was distributed by the Rosukrinform agency ). However, the Yalta official himself denied it, noting that he was following the orders of the Crimean authorities. “Preparations for the referendum are proceeding as usual,” he said .

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The referendum in Crimea is scheduled for March 16 (it was originally planned to be held on May 25, simultaneously with the presidential elections in Ukraine, but then the date was revised). The questions that are planned to be put to the vote are: “Are you for the entry of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea as a subject into the Russian Federation?” and “Are you for restoring the 1992 Constitution of Crimea and preserving Crimea as an integral part of Ukraine?” The wording was approved by the Crimean parliament. At the same time, the deputies, without waiting for the referendum, turned to the leadership of the Russian Federation with a proposal “to begin the procedure for joining the Russian Federation as a subject of the Russian Federation” (the State Duma of the Russian Federation has already supported the initiative for a referendum, after it is held, the deputies will consider a bill simplifying accession to the Russian Federation new territories).

The authorities of Sevastopol (which has the status of a city of national significance and is not administratively part of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea) are planning to hold a similar referendum on possible accession to the Russian Federation.

The Ukrainian authorities, for their part, declared the referendum in Crimea illegal. In connection with the resolution of the Crimean parliament, the Security Service of Ukraine began an investigation under the article “Encroachment on the territorial integrity of Ukraine.”

The Crimean authorities, we recall, refused to obey the new leadership of Ukraine, which replaced the removed President Viktor Yanukovych. Self-defense units were organized on the peninsula. Armed people were seen at military and civilian targets (Ukrainian sources claim that these are Russian military personnel, Russian authorities deny this). The Prime Minister of Crimea, the leader of Russian Unity, Sergei Aksenov, addressed Russian President Vladimir Putin with a request to ensure peace in the region. Soon after this, the Federation Council of the Russian Federation gave permission to use the Russian military contingent in Ukraine. At the same time, on March 4, the President of the Russian Federation stated that there was no need to use troops yet.

The mayor of the Crimean city refused to support the referendum