Black Sea Fleet

Russian President Vladimir Putin has flown to the Crimean Peninsula, which was absorded by Russia from Ukraine, as part of Victory Day celebrations.

It is the first time the President goes to Crimea after it became part of the Russian Federation following a local referendum.

Russia displayed its full military might during the annual Victory Day parade at the Red Square in Moscow.

The country marked the 69th anniversary of the defeat over Nazi Germany in WW II.

Part of the South Stream gas pipeline could pass through Crimea, according to some Russian media reports confirmed by Bulgaria's Deputy Economy Minister.

Business outlet RosInvest has suggested that Gazprom would consider the move once the situation in Ukraine de-escalates.

A Ukrainian naval officer was shot by a Russian soldier on the Crimean peninsula, Ukrainian Defense Ministry has claimed.

Ministry officials, as quoted by Ukrainian news agency UNIAN, said that a sailor had been preparing to leave Crimea, which recently joined the Russian Federation, when a Russian soldier fired at him on Sunday night.

Russia will raise the price of gas for Ukraine to USD 485 per 1000 cubic meters.

Russia's troops have seized control of a naval base near Crimea's city of Feodosia.

Over the past 48 hours, this was the third successful Russian assault of a Ukrainian base on the Crimean peninsula.

It leaves all Ukrainian bases in the region, which was incorporated into the Russian Federation last week, under control by Moscow.

Tensions increased between Russia and Ukraine after reports of an incident at a naval base in Crimea's capital Simferopol.

Ukraine's military has announced that an officer has been killed in an attack on the base, Interfax news agency has informed. Other news sources suggest he was wounded in the neck.

Crimean forces occupy naval base in Sevastopol

SEVASTOPOL -- Crimean units for self-defense have occupied a Ukrainian naval base in Sevastopol on the Black Sea, reported the AP.

Russia's Defense Ministry has given permission for a surveillance flight by Ukraine over Russian territory near the border between the countries.

Russia has permitted the flight in order to demonstrate that any threat of military operations on the part of the Russian Armed Forces is absent, after Kiev had claimed Moscow was building up its military presence there.

Joint naval exercises with Bulgarian, Romanian and US vessels are to take place in the Black Sea on March 11.

The naval forces of all three nations have stated no connection between the upcoming drill and the tensions on Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, where the Russian Black Sea Fleet is based, the Bulgarian National Radio has reported.