Russian news outlets and state media reported that 93 percent of voters had supported secession. According to regional election authorities, the number was 95.5 percent with about half of ballots counted. The full official results were not expected until morning.
One reason for the one-sided result may have been that the referendum came amid a boycott from opponents.
Earlier in the afternoon, the European Commission in Brussels promised it was taking steps against Russia over the controversial poll, which the EU and the US have called illegal.
EU foreign ministers are scheduled to meet on Monday to decide whether to impose sanctions such as visa and bans and asset freezes on Russian authorities.
Russian President Vladimir Putin insisted that the referendum was legal and told German Chancellor Angela Merkel by telephone on Sunday that it was being “implemented in full compliance with international law.”
Merkel told Putin that the presence of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) should be “swiftly expanded” on Crimea.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk repeated Merkel’s call for more OSCE observers. “Their mandate should include the east and south of Ukraine, including Crimea,” Yatsenyuk said in a statement.
Earlier on Sunday, the news agency AFP reported on possible irregularities in the referendum, alleging that voters had been seen casting their ballots before the official opening of polls, and that there had been “blatant” campaigning for Russia – something not allowed under election rules.
Crimea’s Moscow-backed prime minister denied claims that the vote was not fair or transparent. Sergei Aksyonov spoke as he cast his ballot this morning: “There is no pressure on people, you can see that for youself. People are free to vote. Personally, I haven’t seen or felt any pressure.”
Ukraine’s acting defense minister, Ihor Tenyukh, told reporters in Kyiv that the Ukraine and Russian defense ministries had agreed on a truce in Crimea until Friday, March 21.
“No measures will be taken against our military facilities in Crimea during that time. Our military sites are therefore proceeding with a replenishment of reserves,” Tenyukh said.
jr/mkg (AFP, Reuters, AP, dpa)