Election workers in Crimea ready the ballot boxes.
A Sunday referendum will decide if this mostly Russian-speaking Ukrainian province will join the Russian Federation.
Many here want to align their futures with neighboring Moscow.
Opponents of the referendum do exists but they're a smaller, much more quiet group.
(SOUNDBITE) (Russian) STUDENT OF SIMFEROPOL UNIVERSITY DMITRY, SAYING:
"Not everyone here, not even half of the population, want to join Russia. People here are currently afraid to walk around wearing Ukraine's symbols."
(SOUNDBITE) (Russian) CRIMEAN REFERENDUM OPPONENT, IRINA KOPYLOVA, SAYING:
"We are against the referendum; people who simply want to live in the united, calm and free Ukraine."
Ahead of the vote, all sides flexed their military muscle on Thursday.
Russia and Ukraine staged military exercises in the area.
And Crimea's separatist government swore-in new recruits for its pro-Russian army.
Ukraine's
