The European Union has decided to impose individual sanctions on six people involved in the illegal construction of the Kerch Strait Bridge, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said.
"Good news from Brussels! In the development of our agreements at the Ukraine-EU summit, the ambassadors of the EU member states have decided to impose individual sanctions against six people involved in the illegal construction of the Kerch bridge," Poroshenko said on Facebook on 18 July.
The president said imposing the personal sanctions "testifies to the inevitability of punishment for any individual or legal entity who had, have or will have to do with actions related to the attempt of annexation and temporary occupation of the Ukrainian Crimea".
He thanked the European allies for solidarity and support of Ukraine in countering the Russian aggressor.
As earlier reported, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin called for the inclusion of persons involved in mass violations of human rights in the annexed Crimea and involved in the construction of the Kerch Strait Bridge in the list of sanctions.
In turn, head of the European Union Delegation to Ukraine Hugues Mingarelli said that the EU would study the proposal to put persons involved in the construction of the Kerch Strait Bridge on the sanctions list.
The Council of the European Union on 18 June extended sanctions in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by Russia until 23 June 2019.