Crimea

As Ukraine embraces European values, human rights lawyers in the country have become increasingly active in their attempts to tackle the harsh violations that have resulted from the annexation of Crimea and the ongoing armed conflict with separatists in the eastern Donbas region of the country.

Romania will spend 2.5 billion euros to modernize the Black Sea military base as part of counteracting Russia's growing presence in the region, according to The Times, quoted by the FOCUS News Agency. Mikhail Koglignichanu Airbase, located about 200 km. east of Bucharest, will be aligned with NATO standards, as evidenced by documents published by local news sites.

Bikovi also wrote that he sometimes plays better, sometimes worse, but not in the way that the national security is threatened, reports Sputnik.

"Crimeans live in peace and tranquility, and NATO would like to destabilize the situation in Crimea. They (NATO) do not like the way in which Crimea is developing, but we will not give them that satisfaction," Tsekov told Sputnik.

Turkey on May 18 remembered the deportation and ethnic cleansing of Crimean Tatars 75 years ago by the Soviet Union.

As Moscow strengthens its military presence in Crimea, politicians and experts in the region say local NATO member states must unite to reinforce their security.

Turkey supports the territorial integrity of Ukraine and does not recognize the annexation of Crimea, the foreign ministry said on March 16.

Up to 20 people, including eight Turks, were presumed dead off Russian-annexed Crimea after a fire engulfed two fuel ships, authorities have said.

Russia is holding naval and surface-to-air missile drills in the Black Sea region amid tensions with Ukraine and the West over the capture of three Ukrainian naval ships and their crews off the coast of Crimea last month, Reuters reported.

A Ukraine government plan to embarrass Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit failed Thursday when an Argentine company refused to erect a protest poster outside the meeting, AFP reports.