Russia and Crimea have signed treaty of accession of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol in the Russian Federation following President Putin’s address to the Parliament.

Russia and Crimea have signed treaty of accession of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol in the Russian Federation following President Putin’s address to the Parliament. Crimea and Sevastopol are joining Russia as two separate regions, President Putin said.

The agreement will temporarily apply from the signature date and will take effect once ratified. Russia guarantees all peoples inhabiting Crimea and Sevastopol the preservation of their native language and the creation of conditions for learning and developing it, according to the agreement.

The Kremlin said Tuesday that it now considers Crimea part of Russia following the signing of a treaty. According to a report posted on the Kremlin website, "the Republic of Crimea is regarded as accepted in the Russian Federation from the date of the signing" of the relevant treaty.

Russian, Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar will be the official languages in Crimea, according to a relevant clause in the agreement between Russia and the Republic of Crimea, which was posted on the Kremlin's official website.