@jcustis: It seems that most politicians, also stuck in the 'proper' procedures, apart from Putin just could not believe that he was pulling this off. Then again a month ago Putin himself did likely not think that he would and could.

The demand of 'travel documents' and later visas for Russian citiziens seems to be mostly motivated by the experience with Russian provocateurs and infiltrators. Russia seems ready to respond in kind, with a couple of consequences:

a) Economic problems mostly for some Eastern oblasts with strong trade ties and trans-border commuters. The Russian oblasts nearby will also suffer, but likely considerably less so.

b) Another impuls pushing the two nations apart. The occupation of the Crimea and the increasingly strong integration into Europe proper are of course bigger factors.

c) Tourims in the Crimea should get hit even harder as those 70% percent will have even less incentives to go there.

Of course Putin might still invade some eastern oblasts, extemp the Crimea from travel restrictions and so forth but I think those points are rather probable.

The pretty likely exit from the CIS, the probable increase of the Crimean pensions on Russian levels are all interesting topics which will have to wait.