signals were turned off. gm recalling more than 1.5 million cars, and 1.5 million suvs for defective airbags. those are your headlines. al jazeera america. . >> send in troops to occupy a disputed piece of land, and don't be too surprised bay lopsided result. the crimea referendum. what happens now. it's the inside story.

>> hello, i'm ray suarez. to the surprise of no one crimea voted to leave ukraine over the weekend. 90% of voters chose between a narrow set of choices, independence or rejoin russia and the parliament quickly moved to make the separation from ukraine and the new government in kiev a reality. this is where it's complicated. the world needs to respond to reality and principles. the russian-speaking majority seems to really want out of ukraine. but a referendum under russia occupation is not what you would call regular order. what happened in crimea over the past couple of weeks is not how the world wants to redraw borders but that does not change the fact that the ukrainian flag has been struck across the peninsula or as it calls itself today the autonomous republic of crimea. >> reporter: russia will not get away with this. assured president obama monday. >> today i'm announcing a series

of measures that will continue to increase the cost of russian for what is happening in ukraine. >> reporter: he promised to freeze assets on those close to clad vladimir putin. >> we'll further isolate russia. >> reporter: similar sanctions were imposed by the european union, the strongest condemnation yet from russian trading partners. >> sanctions against 21 individuals who undermine the integrity, sovereignty of ukraine. >> reporter: last night people broke into celebration as results flooded in. more than 95% of crimean voters chose to secede from ukraine and

join russia. the referendum did not host any major election monitors, and the international community has called it illegal. russian troops stood outside of voting centers, their presence a common sight in crimea after forces took control of the peninsula two weeks ago. at the time nicago. tatars generally did not participate in the vote. >> the majority of people voting right now are the children of the people who inhabited our houses. >> reporter: ththe particle oftw central bank with $30 million in funds. local politicians asking for recognition from the united unid

nations. in kiev the new government said ukraine is ready to deal with russia's military presence along it's eastern, southern, and northern borders. >> we can mobilize 20,000 volunteers and reservists to the ministry of defense and another 12,002,000 to the national guard. >> ukraine's foreign minister met with n.a.t.o. secretary general to request technical equipment to deal with crimea. he also asked for more monitors. shortly after crimea's referendum sunday supporters in stormed the prosecutors office. all eyes are on ukraine's eastern border with russia. >> 160 years ago the world's

great powers squared off on the peninsula simmering worldwide rival creeds with enormous loss of life. russia lost sevastrepol to the french. the struggle runs to the economic as well as the military. what happens now that crimea has declared itself free of ukraine. this is on "inside story." phil ittner is in kiev and jennifer glass is in sevat erpol in crimea. you're in what some people consider the world's newest country or renegade province. what signs are there that something new is going on after the vote? >> well, you know, it's been an exciting two days here. where the people have been out on the streets. they were celebrating yesterday even before the polls closed. they were literally dancing in the streets, flying the russian

flag, when you got up yesterday morning the polls were jammed on sunday morning. it's been a jubilant mood. we've had fireworks along with the signing of the legislation. the parliament was up early declaring independence, a breakaway from ukraine and basically sign, seal, and deliver what the referendum had already decided yet. >> is this to your--is this a sign of short transition before some sort of closer union with russia, or are there people who are interested in entirin speara

middle course between kiev and moscow? >> here, i don't think so. they made very clear, you saw a huge turnout numbers in the referendum and in 97% vote to head to russia. i think it's very clear. they want to head back to the motherland. a lot of people believe what nikita kruschev did in 1954 was a mistake. then is went a big deal because it was the soviet union. thea lot of people here said thy never wanted to be part of ukraine any way. they always felt close for russia. and of course this is home to the russian black sea fleet. you have russians from russia who serve in the military here as well. they have even been closer to russia. so i don't think they're steering a course between kiev and here. a lot of people talk with alarm about kiev. they've been watching russian

television, telling them that fascists are coming down to attack them here. they say they're happy the russian forces are here to protect them. i think a pro-russian sentiment with flags flying. they were giving out the russian anthem today outside of city hall. >> phil ittner outside of the capitol of kiev. phil, there have been brave words of defiance from elected officials. but are people starting to feel like crimea has slipped through their fingers, that this is over? >> well, as far as crimea is concerned i think they have. it's a bitter pill to swallow for people here in kiev, but it's de facto and already happened. what has people more concerned is not the peninsula. they're convinced that russia has grander designs in the east of the country where there are a

lot more russian ethnic russians who speak russian and have ties to the russian federation. ththe feeling here in kiev is tt russia will try to take that part of the country as well. we've been hearing for quite some time that the intelligence community here in ukraine has evidence or information that there are agent provocators. they're just really deeply concerned about that because that is mainland ukraine. we have heard repeatedly from the government here in kiev that if russia does try to take that part of this country, that that will be unacceptable. that will be one thing too many for the government here in kiev. they say they will fight now. we have seen in the last few days the beating of almost war

drums here in kiev. they're calling up reservists. people are going after recruitment centers. there are ads in heavy rowcation on the national television here in which they're urging the local population to give money to the defense ministry, to help build or re-build their military. in addition they're saying start sending us food stuff, things that will be of assistance to soldiers. there is a real deep concern that this is not the end of things with crimea, but really just the beginning. >> even with that kind of national mobilization and that sense of threat is ukraine equipped in any way to resist the russians if they really tried to make a move in eastern you crane? >> no, not at all they're down

to a fraction of what they used to be they are calling up reservists. these are young men. the national reserve that was called up just a few days ago has people going out and training for a couple of days, and then they're talking about sending them out to the east. so what could potentially be the front lines. the military here is very much aware that they can't stand up to the russian army if, indeed, it goes to a toe-to-toe fight. we're hearing from the intelligence sources here in the capitol that there are partisan plans drawn up. they are drawing up plans for asymmetrical warfare. they said that their air defense is good. they're not particularly worried about attacks on the capitol but they're very much concerned about army forces along the

border up in the east, northeast, and now, crimea. again, it has to be reiterated that there is this sense that this is not over. that crimea was just the beginning, and that there will be open conflict before too long. >> sounds much closer to war than anyone would have speculated about two weeks ago. my thanks to my guests. we'll take a break. when we come back we'll take a closer look at the power of sanctions and whether the economic pressure will de-escalate this crisis. this is "inside story."

>> welcome back to inside story. i'm ray suarez. russian president putin signeeda decree recognizing crimea as a sovereign and independent country. the united states and europe have been talking tough with russian president putin, and

today backed up the talk with economic action. the u.s. sanctions primarily target russians close to putin's inner majo circle. the question is whether going after the money will make putin back down. joining us from stockholm, senior program officer for germany marshal fund. and georg from san francisco, e fellow. is there a reality taking shape that is much different from what

governments in washington, brussels and elsewhere are ready to recognize? >> i certainly think that it's created very quickly on the ground. it seems to be--this is not an i am positive reactioimpulsive re. this is a scenario at play here that is well thought out, and that's to substantiate a better bargaining position for negotiations at the e.u. and united states, this is really at the beginning as said in the report, this is something that

at this stage i think it's very hard to forecast. >> nadia, how do you gauge the size and extent of the sanctions versus the size and extent of the problem? >> i think its difficult to tell. it's good to go after the officials and the shoulders of the european union and the united states, to show them that there is more on the table that they can also bargain with and push russia hopefully away. that's the determination. >> george benitez, a good start as nadia suggests? >> i disagree. i think the sanctions are feeble, too little and too late. the u.s. should have put sanctions on russia right after their forces in crimea, and not wait until after the referendum. >> coming in small, doesn't that

leave you the option of ratcheting up the pressure as time goes on. >> no, because even if you come in strong, you can still ratchet it up. none of these sanctions, the amounts are too small. the individuals are limited, and they are not the powerful ones. they're not the decision makers. we're showing indecision and a timid attitudes to what he has done. >> is there any reason to believe that what happened in georgia six years ago now that vladimir putin would back down from international criticism in ukraine and crimea? >> i think it all depends on how far the sanctions are going to go, and what the reaction to the united states and europe will be now to the proclaimed independence of crimea. that's what they're waiting out to see. also the reaction of the ukrainian government. what can they do on the ground. >> is there a lot more room to

exexpand? >> yes, and i agree with the previous speaker. today's response by the e.u. was weaker than any of us expected. i think there is a chance for later this week even to expand the list to include some of the more powerful decision mak maken moscow, but ultimately we'll have to take economic sanctions. the only language understood in moscow is if there are serious economic sanctions that put pressure on the revenue stream flowing to russia on its exports, gas sales and so forth. >> is that going to have to be a long-term project? will that have to be put on for a long time before the tough guys feel the pain?

>> i don't think so. i do think that if we take the right measures at this stage especially when it comes to interrupting the oil and gas sales of russia to the european union, this will be felt very quickly. this institute constitutes the t part, this been felt for weeks, months, if not, longer than that. if we take to those measures now we'll see the affect very quickly. >> how about that. the pain is going to be felt even though you suggest these aren't as far as europe or the united states could go, but this is something that is more than just an inconvenient. >> i think what he said was that there were sanctions we could employ ploy that would be stronger felt more. we should ban russia at this point. there is no excuse for france, germany and u.k. to continue to sell arms while it's occupying

the territory of crimea. >> when we come back we'll talk more about the situation in ukraine and crimea threaten the security of europe, really up you set the decades of precedence tha. this is "inside story."

>> welcome back to "inside story." i'm ray suarez. president obama announced sanctions against russia over the crisis in ukraine today, but president obama said there is still a path to resolve this situation diplomatically. he said first russia must pull troops back to their bases in cry maya, agree to international monitors in ukraine and engage in dialogue with the ukrainian government. george w benitez.

there was supposed to be stop-gap measures put in place to make sure that just this kind of thing did not happen. and here we are. what went wrong? >> well, one of the things that was created after the fall of the cold war was to provide humanitarian and elec electoral observers but they were met by gunfire at the border. >> they're toothless, weak, not backed by the world. >> i think it's the lateral. it's not backed by the burled, and it's not empowered to do its job. but we have two dangerous factors at play. we have a great power in europe that is willing to use military forces to change borders. we have not had that since the end of the soviet union, and

two, this dangerous, cues that individual individual is using, that he's going in to protect ethnic russians. well, there are many countries that have ethnic russians in them, and that could be a dangerous component. >> how could this fail so spectacularly? >> well, in all honesty i disagree with the previous speaker in the sense that nobody took care of that post cold war order. what you have les you have lest. you have putin in power and wanted to create some sort of an agreement for security and economic front, then didn't necessarily meet a r receding hd

from european union and united states. instead we saw n.a.t.o. expanding. this is a major problem. over the last decades the scholarly community that has been discussing this, and what we have today in crimea is a culmination of development of that security have a couple. >> you mentioned bringing n.a.t.o. all the way to the borders of russia. with that, and prying kosovo away from serbia in the clinton administration, did russia feel humiliated, and through its point of view justified in getting it's own back after all these years later? >> i think this is definitely the narrative that putin and his elites are pronging. for them it's not so much instrumental. i believe they do believe it,

that they were humiliated, and that specific situation has to changes. and they do have a right to claim this power status, and to fight for their sphere of influence around the periphery. >> what is the down side of allowing crimea to pass peacefully back into russia's arms? >> well, it address a dangerous precedence. all the neighbors of russia has sizable russian minorities. if we allow this press tense to take placprecedence totake place countries will feel safe any more. i think very quickly we'll see

this problem, this approach of russia to its neighbors spill over in other countries use the russian cards to exert the influence. this is a precedence that is very dangerous for the borders in the entire sel soviet space e know it today. >> can you picture the possibility where crimea passes back under the nominal oversight of kiev, of ukraine? >> frankly i don't. i think russia's actions over the past couple of days and weeks clearly have shown that they have design. it has territory in parts of the

area. these are not stable solutions that russia needs in this case because crimea is of a different strategic importance. it's home to russia's black sea fleet. that fleet is in the south of russia. i think it will want to have a more stable solution and want to incorporate crimea into the russian federation proper. i don't think there is any other solution on the side of russia. >> thank you all for joining us on "inside story." thank you for being with us at home. the program may be over, but the conversation continues. we want to hear what you think on the issues of this or any day's program. you can log in on facebook page or send us your thoughts on

twitter. you can reach me directly at ray suarez news. we'll see you for the next program in washington, i'm ray suarez. >> it's christmas eve, and us soldiers are preparing for their last months in afghanistan. about forty thousand are still here - by the end of the year, there'll be just eight thousand. we traveled to afghanistan in the midst of this transition. but on the base we found a story