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European Union sanctions came into force on February 23 as the European bloc responded to Russian aggression against Ukraine by sanctioning Russian government officials, lawmakers and businesses.
The sanctions target 27 individuals and entities, including ministers, senior military officials, companies and businessmen, for their role in “threatening Ukraine’s territorial integrity,” the EU said in a statement.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, an adviser to the president Vladimir Putin, and all 351 lawmakers who voted to recognize the independence of the eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk are among those sanctioned.
Sanctions include freezing the assets of sanctioned individuals and entities and also sanctioned individuals will not be able to travel to the EU.
The EU statement said the bloc could impose new sanctions if Putin launches an offensive or sends further troops to Ukraine. German Foreign Minister Annalena Bearbock said EU sanctions were a “first step”, adding that there would be other sanctions.
The EU imposed sanctions a day after Putin escalated tensions after recognizing the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk, regions controlled by Russian-backed separatists.
The EU said that Minister Shoigu was sanctioned because “under his command and order, Russian troops held military exercises in illegally annexed Crimea and were positioned at the border,” the AP reported.
“After all, he is responsible for any military action against Ukraine,” the Associated Press quoted the sanctions list as saying.
Putin’s chief of staff, Anton Vaino, has also been sanctioned. Vaino has played an active role in the Kremlin decision-making process and is also said to have influenced Putin’s decisions.
The sanctions have also targeted banks and the finances of the Russian armed forces. They also target Moscow’s ability to access EU capital and financial markets as well as services. EU sanctions are also aimed at undermining Russia’s ability to trade with the two eastern regions of Ukraine.
The European Union had imposed sanctions in 2014, when Russia annexed the Ukrainian Peninsula of Crimea.
Due to Putin’s recent decisions, the United States announced on February 22 the imposition of sanctions on two Russian banks, sanctions aimed at blocking Moscow ‘s access to financial institutions. Washington sanctions have also hit Russian oligarchs.rel
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