EU extends sanctions against Russia over Ukraine

BRUSSELS

EU sanctions against Russia were extended a further six months Monday, the European Council said in a statement.

The asset freezes and travel bans imposed over Russia’s support for separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine were extended against nearly 190 targets to March 2016.

“The assessment of the situation did not justify a change in the regime of sanctions nor in the list of persons and entities under restrictive measures,” the council said.

The sanctions list includes such prominent figures such as Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak, military intelligence chief Igor Sergun and Crimean Prime Minister Sergey Aksyonov.

Sanctions were first imposed in March 2014 in response to the annexation of Crimea and the “deliberate destabilization” of Ukraine by Russia.

Since then, the sanctions have been progressively extended to reinforce the Minsk cease-fire agreement signed between the Ukrainian government and pro-Russian separatists. According to Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe monitors, the agreement is regularly breached.