MOSCOW, April 11. /ITAR-TASS/. The Russian Republic of Crimea and the Russian federal city of Sevastopol, long-standing home base of Russia’s Black Sea naval fleet on the Crimean peninsula, have been included in the list of Russian constituent entities of the country’s Constitution. A new variant of the Russian fundamental law has been made public at the official internet portal of legal information on Friday.
Two new federal constituent entities have been included in the list in Article 65 of Chapter 3 of the Russian Constitution stipulating federal system of government in the country.
On March 21, Russia's President Vladimir Putin signed laws on reunification of the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol with the Russian Federation.
Putin has put his signature below the bill on ratification of the interstate treaty “On the admission of the Republic of Crimea into the Russian Federation and creation of new sub-federal entities” signed by the parties March 18. From this date, the Republic of Crimea is considered part of the Russian Federation.
In addition, the Russia leader has signed the federal constitutional law on Crimea’s accession to the Russian Federation and the creation of new sub-federal entities — the Republic of Crimea and city of federal importance Sevastopol.
On March 16, a referendum was held in Crimea, and 96.77% of the voters supported accession to Russia. On March 17, Crimea’s Supreme Council declared the republic’s independence and addressed Russia proposing to join the Federation as a sub-federal entity with republican status. The City Council of Sevastopol also adopted a statute on joining Russia as an independent sub-federal entity, city with a federal status.