People in Crimea will decide today if they want to join Russia or stay in Ukraine.

Voting in the referendum is underway -it started at 6am Irish time.

The mainly Russian speaking region has been the focus of rising tensions in Ukraine, since former President Viktor Yanukovych (PRO;YAN-A-KO-VICH) was ousted last month.

The 1.5 million strong electorate are being given two options- a direct move to join Russia, or simply independence from Ukraine.

Yesterday, Russia vetoed a UN Security Council draft resolution to declare the referendum as invalid.

Svetlana Kalisetskaya is the chairwoman of one of the polling committee's in the region.

Speaking through a translator, she says she expects a big turn out.