EU extends Russia sanctions to 2016

PanARMENIAN.Net - EU foreign ministers have extended economic sanctions against Russia until the end of January 2016, according to BBC news.

The aim is to make Russia comply with the Minsk ceasefire accord signed with Ukraine in February, EU spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic tweeted.

EU and U.S. sanctions target associates of President Vladimir Putin and Russian state banks, military and energy firms.

The ministers also launched a naval operation called EU Navfor Med, to track Mediterranean people smugglers.

Initially European warships will just monitor the smugglers' activities - focused on Libya - and alert national authorities. Military intervention to stop the migrant boats would require UN authorisation.

EU sanctions were imposed on Russia after Moscow's annexation of Crimea in March 2014. They have been escalated because of Russia's role in the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Nato says hundreds of Russian tanks and armoured vehicles have gone into eastern Ukraine, along with regular Russian army soldiers.

Moscow denies direct involvement but says some Russian volunteers are helping the pro-Russian militants.

Under the sanctions regime Russian state banks are excluded from raising long-term loans; exports of dual-use equipment for military use in Russia are banned; and future EU-Russia arms deals are banned.

There is an EU-U.S. ban on exports of some oil industry technology and services, though gas remains unaffected.

The sanctions also target many senior officials in Russia and in the separatist leadership, including Crimean leaders, and organisations linked to them.