President Vladimir Putin has issued a decree for new economic sanctions against Ukraine, tasking the government with drawing up a list of firms and individuals to be targeted.
Russian-Ukrainian ties have deteriorated since Moscow’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula in 2014 and support for rebels in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine extended sanctions last June against Russian companies and individuals, including lawmakers and top officials, on the back of new sanctions imposed by the U.S. government against Moscow.
Putin’s decree posted on the Kremlin's website on Monday says that the decision was made "in response to Ukraine’s unfriendly actions, related to the introduction of restrictive measures against citizens and legal entities of the Russian Federation," as well as to “protect national interests."
The decree states that the measures can be canceled if Ukraine revokes its sanctions against Russian nationals and companies.
Earlier this summer, Putin extended an embargo on the import of certain food products from Ukraine until the end of 2019.
Reuters contributed reporting to this article.
