Crimea's parliament

Crimean Parliament has approved a bill seizing assets of Ukrainian oil and gas enterprises operating in the region.

Resources owned by Chernomorneftegaz and Ukrtransgaz, entities dealing with extraction and transportation of fuel, have thus passed into the hands of local authorities, Russian agency RIA Novosti has reported.

Crimean authorities took control of Ukraine's Black Sea and Sea of Azov oil and gas fields off the coast of the peninsula.

The speaker of Crimea's parliament Volodymyr Konstantinov told the Russian news agency RIA Novosti that the Russian companies including energy giant Gazprom should be involved in extracting the resources.

Crimea to hold referendum on status on March 16

CRIMEA, KIEV -- Ukraine's Autonomous Republic of Crimea will hold a referendum on March 16 to decide on its future status, Itar-Tass has reported.

The news agency said the local government's deputy president, Rustam Temirgaliev, confirmed the date.