US warns Russia ahead of Sunday’s Crimea vote

US secretary of state John Kerry warned Russia that Washington and Europe were preparing a tough response to a breakaway vote in Ukraine’s Crimea, depending on how Moscow reacts.

Russia’s national security team was meeting in Sochi, Kerry told US lawmakers as he prepared to fly to London for last-ditch talks today with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.

And without doubt Moscow will respond in some way to Sunday’s referendum, Kerry said.