Russia on Thursday imposed financial sanctions on hundreds of Ukrainian individuals and dozens of companies, in what it described as countermeasures for Kiev's actions against Moscow. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed the document published by the government's press service that called for Russian assets of 322 Ukrainian citizens and 68 businesses to be frozen.
On the list are Yulia Tymoshenko, a former prime minister who is among the favourites for president in polls next year, and Interior Minister Arsen Avakov. The defence minister and the parliament speaker also feature, along with several chemical and mining companies. Moscow said the sanctions were linked to "unfriendly actions by Ukraine in relation to Russian citizens and legal entities".
The Kremlin said it would be prepared to remove the sanctions if it saw the "political will" to normalise relations from Kiev's side. "At the moment we do not see this," presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a regular press briefing.