The European Union on Wednesday added six MPs from Crimea who were recently elected to Russia's parliament to its sanctions blacklist for their role in supporting Moscow's seizure of the region from Ukraine. "In line with its non-recognition policy, the EU considers that the persons who became members of the State Duma as a result of the elections in Crimea should be placed under sanctions," said a statement issued by the European Council of the bloc's 28 member states.
"These sanctions consist of an asset freeze and a travel ban which will now apply to a total of 152 persons and 37 entities," it added. The EU refuses to recognise Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea and insisted Russian parliamentary elections held there in September were illegal.
In June, it rolled over for another year asset ban and travel freeze sanctions against individuals and companies said to have aided Russia's takeover of the Black Sea peninsula. In September, the EU extended by six months similar sanctions against Russian and Ukrainian individuals for aiding and abetting pro-Moscow rebels in eastern Ukraine. In July, the bloc extended much more damaging economic sanctions against Russia for another six months, citing a lack of progress in resolving the Ukraine conflict. EU leaders are due to review these economic sanctions at a summit in December amid sharp differences over how effective they are.