President Vladimir Putin flew in to Crimea on Friday for the first time since it was annexed by Moscow, proclaiming as he marked the Soviet victory in World War Two that incorporating the former Ukrainian territory had made Russia stronger.

• Date: 09.05.2014  |  Published on EGF: 09.05.2014  |  External Relations  |  from http://www.reuters.com/

Pro-Russian separatists voted unanimously on Thursday in favor of holding a referendum on independence, defying calls by Russian President Vladimir Putin to postpone the vote to open the way for talks with the Kiev authorities.

• Date: 08.05.2014  |  Published on EGF: 08.05.2014  |  External Relations  |  from http://www.reuters.com/

Pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine ignored a public call by Russian President Vladimir Putin to postpone a referendum on independence, declaring they would go ahead on May 11 with a vote that could lead to war.

• Date: 08.05.2014  |  Published on EGF: 08.05.2014  |  Security  |  from http://www.reuters.com/

A gas price dispute with Russia must be resolved by June so Ukraine can guarantee stable flows to Europe and avoid a new gas war, Ukrainian Energy Minister Yuri Prodan said.

• Date: 07.05.2014  |  Published on EGF: 07.05.2014  |  Energy  |  from http://www.reuters.com/

Russia will beef up its Black Sea fleet this year with new submarines and warships, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu was quoted as saying on Tuesday, following the annexation of the Crimean peninsula.

• Date: 06.05.2014  |  Published on EGF: 06.05.2014  |  External Relations  |  from http://www.reuters.com/

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday it would be "unusual" to hold a presidential election in Ukraine while the army was being deployed against Ukrainians.

• Date: 06.05.2014  |  Published on EGF: 06.05.2014  |  Security  |  from http://www.reuters.com/

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has told his U.S. counterpart John Kerry that the U.S. should use its influence to make Ukraine's government immediately stop military operations in south-east Ukraine, the Russian foreign ministry said on Saturday.

• Date: 05.05.2014  |  Published on EGF: 05.05.2014  |  External Relations  |  from http://www.reuters.com/

Russian gas exports to Europe through Ukraine remained stable on Monday, a spokesman for state-controlled gas producer Gazprom said.

• Date: 05.05.2014  |  Published on EGF: 05.05.2014  |  Energy  |  from http://www.reuters.com/