Crimea

Bulgaria is still at the forefront of preferred destinations for Russian-speaking real estate buyers, an investment company says.

Data from Green Life, an entity building and selling holiday properties in the country, shows the market has not yet been affected by the turmoil in Ukraine's east or by the tensions over the breakaway of Crimea.

Montenegro sees increase in tourists from Ukraine

Hollywood action actor and musician Steven Seagal and his blues band played a weekend concert in Crimea, reports the Russian wire agency RIA Novosti. 

He appeared at a bikers' party in Crimean city of Sevastopol, wearing a t-shirt with the face of Russian president Vladimir Putin, on a stage adorned with flags of Russia and the renegade Donetsk People's Republic (DNR). 

Germany has stopped a major deal to provide a fully equipped training camp to Russian forces due to the crisis in Ukraine, the government said Monday.
      
Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel said he has withdrawn his authorisation for the training camp project, which had already been put on hold in March after Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region.

Russia is to enforce its Black Sea Fleet stationed on the Crimean Peninsula, which broke away from Ukraine in mid-March.

Vice Admiral Aleksandr Vitko, Commander of one of the Russian Navy's key sub-units, announced the country had started to develop a "powerful" black fleet.

The air traffic over Bulgaria has increased significantly, compared to last year, reports Dnes.bg.

In 2013 over Bulgaria flew an average of 2500 airplanes a day. Currently their number has reached 2900 and by the end of July is expected that the number will surpass 3000. 

The EU has given Moscow a three-day ultimatum to take concrete steps towards implementing a peace plan in eastern Ukraine or risk economic sanctions.

The South Stream gas pipeline could have a ramification to the Crimean peninsula, Oleg Savelyev, Minister of Crimean Affairs, announced.

The presidents of the US Congress Group of Friendship with Romania (the Congressional Romania Caucus) and the Pro-America Group of the Romanian Parliament adopted on Tuesday a common declaration welcoming the presidential election in Ukraine and strongly disapproving the aggression of the Russian Federation against this country by the annexation of Crimea and the destabilization of southern and

Crimea is switching over to the Russian rouble (ruble, RUB) as of June 1.

On May 27, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree which reduced the transition period for the circulation of the hryvnia (UAH) in Crimea and Sevastopol by June 1, 2014, thereby making the rouble the only legitimate currency according to reports of ITAR-TASS.