Crimea is set to vote today on whether to re-join Russia or stay with Ukraine – a referendum condemned as illegal by Kiev and the West but backed by Moscow.

Russian troops have taken de facto control of the majority ethnic-Russian region, and voters are expected to support leaving Ukraine.

Crimean Tatars are boycotting the vote, pledging their allegiance to Kiev.

Russia earlier vetoed a draft UN resolution criticising the vote – the only Security Council member to do so.

Polling stations across Crimea are due to open at 08:00 local time and close 12 hours later.

Some 1.5 million voters are eligible to cast their ballots, and the first results are expected to be released shortly after the referendum.

Ethnic Russians form a clear majority in the region and many of them are expected to vote for joining Russia.