Voting is underway in Crimea

SIMFEROPOL, Ukraine (AP) — The Crimean region voted on Sunday about whether to demand greater autonomy from Ukraine or split off

and seek to join Russia, in a referendum that has been condemned as illegal by the United States and European countries.

The vote took place several weeks after Russian-led forces took control of Crimea, a predominantly ethnic Russian region. Its residents say they fear the Ukrainian government that took over when pro-Russia President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted last month will oppress them.

On Saturday, Ukrainian officials said Russian forces backed by helicopter gunships and armored vehicles had advanced about 6 miles (10 kilometers) over the Crimean border into another Ukrainian region, where they took control of a village that holds a natural gas distribution facility.

If the referendum passes, Russia faces the prospect of sanctions from Western nations, but Moscow has vigorously resisted calls to pull back in Crimea.

Since Yanukovych fled to Russia, Crimea has come under control of local militia forces, as well as heavily armed troops under apparent command from Moscow. Crimea's pro-Russia authorities say that if Ukrainian soldiers resolutely occupying their garrisons don't surrender after Sunday's vote, they will be considered "illegal."

But Ukraine's acting defense minister, Igor Tenyuk, said in an interview published Sunday by the Interfax news agency that "this is our land and we're not going anywhere from this land." In Sevastopol, the Crimean capital where the Russian Black Sea Fleet is based under a lease agreement with Ukraine, enthusiasm for the referendum was high, with voters lining up outside polling stations before they opened.

Crimea's large Tatar Muslim minority opposes annexation to Russia. The referendum "is a clown show, a circus," a leader of the Crimean community, Refat Chubarov, said on Crimea's Tatar television station Sunday. "This is a tragedy, an illegitimate government, with armed forces from another country."

Meanwhile, ABC News is reporting a truce has been struck in Crimea, with Russia agreeing that no military action will take place against Ukrainian forces before March 21st, the day the Russian parliament is to decide on Crimea's annexation. A Ukrainian base commander told ABC News, quote, now it's clear that we'll become a part of Russia so they have to find some sort of peaceful solution.