EU sanctions against DPR, LPR self-proclaimed republics coming into force

The EU Official Journal publishes on Saturday the EU Council’s resolution on the imposition of sanctions on 13 officials of the self-proclaimed Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics (LPR and DPR) in the east of Ukraine and five organisations. The sanctions will come into force upon their publication, the EU Council press service said.

The Council tightened restrictive measures against the East Ukrainian separatists pursuant to the EU Council instruction of November 17. The assets of 13 individuals and 5 legal entities that are involved in the activity against Ukraine’s territorial integrity will be frozen and their entry to the European Union will be banned, the Council said previously in a statement.
The European Union foreign ministers on November 17 instructed the European Commission (EC) and the EU Foreign Political Service to prepared proposals by the end of the month on putting the DPR and LPR leaders on the “black list.” Having assessed the situation in the conflict zone the EU Council urged the European Foreign Political Service and the EC to submit proposals on blacklisting representatives of the separatists in the east of Ukraine. The EU will continue to monitor the situation and act accordingly, said the final statement of the EU foreign ministers.
On November 27, the EU Committee of Permanent Representatives agreed sanctions against 18 individuals and legal entities, representing the DPR and LPR. However, the EU Council’s decision was needed for their approval.
Thus, the “black list” of the European Union has been expanded to 132 citizens of Russia and Ukraine, including representatives of the Russian leadership and security agencies, a number of Russian lawmakers and businessmen, representatives of the local leadership of Crimea, as well as a number of Ukrainian citizens, including politicians in opposition to Kiev and DPR and LPR leaders. Sanctions have been imposed on a total of 28 companies.