. >> vladimir lenin stands in the capital. not far from sevastopol. some people are worried history may repeat itself. communist leader joseph stalin expelled them en masse. >> not long ago when the tatars were deported from crimea, the same thing happened. soldiers came with arms and in 15 minutes soldiers were thrown out of their homes. tatars don't plan to let it happen again. they formed self-defence groups patrolling their neighbourhood. so far it's quiet. they are left with a mistrust of moscow, and leaves this community wondering how it may be treated. >> this minority group was hoping for international support and are certain it won't come in time. >> if vladimir putin makes a decision, he makes it in the morning. in the evening it's implemented. no bureaucracy, no delays. as for u.n. structures, it takes months. by then it will be all over. >> and things are moving fast. the city council of sevastopol voted on thursday to become part of russia, perhaps trying to help predetermine a referendum on crimea's future. that was brought forward by th

motivations. [ speaking foreign language ] >> vladimir putin ruled russia directly or indirectly for over a dozen years, and could rule for a decade more. he was born in lenin grad, eight years after a 900 day long siege ended. >> the generation that vladimir putin is a part of which is the sunion's baby boom generation, not unlike the baby boom generation in the united states was shaped by the stories heard by the parents, popular culture, all wore movies and glorification. >> as a child putin was too rowdy to join the soviet youth organization. some described him as a thug. he worked for the kgb in east germany, a trusted position. after winning the presidency in 2000, he crushed the separatist movement in chechnya. >> putin views himself as being the man of the state and law and order, which he is. he is the ultimate cop, in a sense. the creator of the power vertical, the dictatorship of laws and highly effective. >> with a black belt in judo, he is portrayed as a sportsman. he ordered troops to rescue 1,100 hostages held by the chechen rebels. many died. the incident led to reforms that helped putin consolidate his power. some wonder if he has overplaye

beneath the statue of vladimir lenin there are flags.he only ukrainian autonomous republic has a russian prime minister, who moved to take control. >> i have decided to temporarily take command of national forces. the interior ministry, armed forces. those that disagree, please resign. >> that scarce the crimean tatar population, many deployed by stalin. >> translation: it's the first time crimians have lived with armed military types driving around the city. the society is full of fear. people are afraid of everyone and everything. >> 400 miles north in kharkiv, they raise the russian flag there. much of the population opposed the take over in kiev. in kiev, former operation leader, now presidential candidate vitaly klitschko called for calm. >> translation: i urge everybody - no provocation, no calls for separatism. all who love their country and responsibility have to show patriotism. >> at a military airport a worrying sign of things to come. >> men in camouflage came and damaged ukrainian equipment. one mystery solved, the many in u

. >> vladimir lenin, here some people are worried history might repeat itself. communist leader, in 1944. >> translator: not so long ago when the tatars were depoeted from crimea, the same thing happened. people were thrown out of their homes. >> tatars came back here in the '80s and '90s, so far it's been quiet. the tatars hi history of oppression, a crimea affiliated with russia. this minority group was hoping for international support but is certain it won't come in time. >> translator: if putin makes any decision, it's paid in the morning and in the evening, it's already implemented. no democracy, nothing. european union or osce organizations it takes months. by then it will be all over. >> and things are moving fast. the city of sevastopol voted yesterday to become part of russia. broad forward by the -- brought forward by the region's pro-- russia parliament. >> considering the geopolitical region, we decided the sooner we are done with this vote, the quieter it will be. the people will be safer. >> not an ideal environment for a referendum. michael works

. >> reporter: vladimir lenin still stands in the area not far from sevastopol. now, the residents fear this might repeat itself. >> not so long ago when the tatars were deported from crimea, the same thing happened. within 15 minutes people were thrown out of their homes. >> reporter: tatars who came back here in the 1980s and 90s don't plan to let it happen again. so far it's been quiet. the tatars history of oppression by the russians, has this district wondering how they might be treated. international support? it's certain it won't come in time. >> if putin makes any decision he makes it in the morning and in the evening it's already implemented. no bureaucracy, no delays, nothing. and as for u.n. structures or european or osce organizations it takes months. by then it will be all over. >> reporter: and things are moving fast. the city council of sevastopol voted thursday to become part of russia. perhaps trying to help predetermine a referendum on crimea's future on march 16th. that was brought forward by the region's pro-- russian parliament. >> considerin

updates us on the struggle for crimea >> reporter: in crimea's capitol under the watchful eye of vladimir lenin they wave the flag of the country though hope to join and praise the city they hope will be their capitol. ♪ >> the song is one the old soviet union might have used to send children to war and these ukrainians who are ethnic russians are ready to enlist. from the youngest and the smallest to the resident willing to go to war in a motorcycle helmet. >> i have to defend our land to keep peace, he says. i will spare no effort even though i am 50 and no longer that young. >> or the man whose medal dates back to the 1940s, 89-year-old and his seven brothers fought in world war ii. he thinks this one is already won. >> putin helped us. he deployed people who didn't fire a single shot. it's calm. in one week, we'll vote and we will be with moscow. after the soviet union collapsed, most of crimea never wanted to be part of ukraine. this screwed hopes next tweweek referendum is their independence day. >> in kiev power was taken by bandits who are robbing people at the point of a gun. we are ag

. >> vladimir lenin stands in the historic capital of crimea. not far from sevastopol. here some people are worried history may repeat itself. communist leader stalin expelled the tartars on mass in 1934. >> not so long ago when the tatars were deported from crimea, the same thing happened. soldiers came with amps within 15 minutes people were thrown out of their homes. tatars that came back don't plan to let it happen again. >> they formed self-defences groups. >> there's an an understandable mistrust. >> this minority group was hoping for international support, but is certain it will not come in time. >> if putin makes a decision, he makes it in the morning. in the evening it's implemented. no bureaucracy, delays or nothing. >> as for u.n. structures, europe in, it takes months. by then it will be over. >> things are moving fast. the city council of sevastopol thursday was to become part of russia. trying to help predetermine a referendum of the future on march 16th. brought forward by the pro-russian pampt. >> considering the geopolitical situation, we decided the so

vladimir, close to a spot visited by john kerry, said the barricades are going to stay. while this man methodically feeded eclectic works of lenin into his furnace, told me we ultimately control the government anyway. the interim government has real challenges ahead as it calls for unity in the face of russian aggression. ian williams, nbc news, kiev. >>> president obama made phone calls today to a number of european leaders on the crisis in ukraine. nbc's kristen welker is traveling with the president in florida where the first family is spending the weekend. >> reporter: lester, with tensions mounding in ukraine, the white house is taking great pains to show that president obama is still engaged in the diplomatic effort to get russian forces to retreat to their bases in crimea. late this afternoon the white house released a photo of president obama, who reached out to several of his counterparts overseas. among them, the prime minister of the uk, as well as leaders of france, italy and the baltics. mr. obama is trying to build a strong international coalition aimed at pressuring mr. putin to retreat, efforts which right now ar