Russia has been subjected to European sanctions eversince it annexed Crimea. The sanctions, among other things, bar European Union companies from supplying energy infrastructure to the region.
But Russia sent four turbines built by the German engineering firm, Siemens, to Crimea - without the company's knowledge. The shipments angered Berlin and led Brussels to impose new sanctions on Russia..
The successful testing indicates that Russia is getting closer to being able to commission the turbines and to start using them to generate electricity for Crimea.
The region has suffered occasional blackouts since the annexation, when it was cut off from the Ukrainian national electricity grid that had supplied much of the region's electricity.
In a statement, the Russian energy ministry said one of the two power-generating blocks at a new power station in the Crimean city of Simferopol had been put through a successful test run.
Russia is working to complete a second power station, in the Crimean city of Sevastopol, where Siemens turbines were installed. Siemens claims it has no knowledge of its turbines being used in Sevastopol.
