Russia faces new sanctions over Ukraine
12.09.2014,
13:05
European Union governments agreed on Thursday to begin their new sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine crisis on Friday but could lift them next month if Moscow abides by a fragile truce, while the United States prepared its own fresh sanctions, Reuters reports.
YEREVAN, September 12. /ARKA/. European Union governments agreed on Thursday to begin their new sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine crisis on Friday but could lift them next month if Moscow abides by a fragile truce, while the United States prepared its own fresh sanctions, Reuters reports.
Russia's foreign ministry said the approval of the new EU penalties showed the European Union had "made its choice against" the current peace road map aimed at ending the worst confrontation between Moscow and the West since the Cold War.
Three major Russian state oil firms are targeted: Rosneft, Transneft and Gazprom Neft, the oil unit of gas giant Gazprom, BBC reports. Their access to financial markets will be restricted - a serious matter for Rosneft, which last month asked the Russian government for a $42bn (£25.2bn) loan.
Big Russian state-owned banks will be barred from getting loans with a maturity longer than one month, and from getting other financial services in the EU.
The EU has also added another 24 names to a list of Russian officials and rebel leaders in Ukraine who are subject to visa bans and asset freezes. Most of the new names are pro-Russian separatist leaders in Donetsk region and prominent Russian MPs. Among the most influential are: Sergei Chemezov, an ex-KGB associate of President Vladimir Putin who now runs a big arms firm, Rostec; nationalist leader and MP Vladimir Zhirinovsky; 76th Airborne Division Gen Alexei Naumets; Donetsk separatist leader Alexander Zakharchenko; Luhansk separatist leader Gennady Tsypkalov. –0--
