ANKARA 

The European Union has extended sanctions on Russia for six more months due to the situation in Ukraine, the European Council said on Monday.

The council said in a statement the sanctions would target "specific" sectors of the Russian economy.

"They target the financial, energy and defense sectors, and the area of dual-use goods," it confirmed.

It said the initial measures were taken in 31 July 2014, when Russia's "destabilizing" action in Ukraine began.

Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula was formally annexed by Moscow in March 2014 after an illegal independence vote.

The UN General Assembly has voted nearly unanimously to proclaim the Russian annexation illegal.

Along with many UN countries, the U.S. and the EU, Turkey also does not recognize Crimea as Russian territory.

Fighting between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russia separatists has seen around 9,700 killed, according to the UN.