EU decision to extend sanctions against Russia comes into force

The EU's decision to extend for six months the sanctions against 149 Russian citizens and 37 Russian companies came into force.

EU Council Implementing Regulation of September 14, 2015 implementing EU Regulation No 269/2014 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on Tuesday, September 15.

The list includes: Speaker of the State Duma Sergei Naryshkin; Speaker of the Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko; Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak; Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin; Aide to the President of the Russian Federation Vladislav Surkov; Adviser to the President of the Russian Federation , Sergey Glazyev; Deputy Speaker of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Sergei Zheleznyak; Deputy Chairman of State Duma Sergei Neverov; Member of the State Duma Iosif Kobzon, and others.

Among the companies and organizations are Transneft, Gazprom Neft, Rosneft, Novorossiya social movement, and Chernomorneftegaz.

People from the list are banned from entry to the EU, their European assets are frozen.

Оn September 14, the European Council completed the formal procedure of extending until March 15, 2016 its sanctions against Russian companies and individuals that undermine the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.