Putin rewards Crimea PM with post of governor

The act is looked at as another step towards Crimea's establishment as a region of Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed the current premier of Crimea as the peninsula's acting governor today, another step towards its establishment as a region of Russia.

Sergei Aksyonov, who has been prime minister since the start of the region's drive to separate from Ukraine, will hold the post until elections, according to a decree published on the Kremlin's website.

As the two met at the president's Moscow-region residence, Putin thanked Aksyonov for his help in making Crimea a Russian region, telling him: "It is first and foremost your accomplishment."

Aksyonov promised Putin he would not let him down.

The pro-Moscow Aksyonov has been the peninsula's acting premier since late February.

Crimea's prime minister Anatoliy Mohilyov was ousted after armed men took over the council of ministers building, and lawmakers later elected the 41-year-old Aksyonov to the post.

The leader of Russian Unity -- a Crimean party that had previously enjoyed little success in the polls -- Aksyonov became an outspoken proponent of bringing the peninsula under Moscow's rule and was one of the organisers of the controversial March 16 referendum.

He was in the post during the transition to Russian rule, overseeing the introduction of the ruble and the shift to the same time zone as Moscow.

Putin also met today with the mayor of Sevastopol, Alexei Chaly, who was instrumental in bringing the Ukrainian port city under Moscow's control.

The city -- which has long been home to Russia's Black Sea fleet -- was also awarded for switching its allegiances from Kiev by being given the status of a Russian region.

Putin appointed not Chaly, but Sergei Menyailo, a Russian admiral and former deputy commander of the Black Sea Fleet, to the post of acting governor to the city region.

Aksyonov and Chaly have both been blacklisted by the European Union and the United States for separatism.