Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree recognising Crimea as an independent state.<br /><br />The move comes just a day after the region voted to breakaway from Ukraine and join Russia. <br /><br />The U-S and the EU have imposed sanctions on more than a dozen people they blame for the breakaway vote in Crimea. <br /><br /> <br /><br />Al Jazeera's Patty Culhane has more from Washington DC.
