The European Union has extended its sanctions against Russia for another six months, the EU council press office reported Monday.
The new date for the sanctions lift is set on July 31, 2016, the EU council said.
?€?Since the Minsk agreements will not be fully implemented by Dec. 31, 2015, the duration of the sanctions has been prolonged whilst the Council continues its assessment of progress in implementation,?€? council's press-release said.
EU introduced its year-long economic sanctions against Russia on July 31, 2014 as a response to Russia's involvement in the conflict in East Ukraine.
Last spring, European leaders decided to leave sanctions in place until a peace deal in Ukraine is fully implemented through the Minsk negotiations process.
The sanctions imposed against Russia target the banking sector, defense and oil production technologies import, and introduce a blacklist of 150 individuals who are banned from entering EU and performing banking operations on its territory.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
![paiment methods](https://static.themoscowtimes.com/img/contribute/payment_icons.png)
Remind me later.