Brussels [Belgium], July 20 : The European Council on Thursday said it will extend sanctions on Russia through the beginning of next year, CNN reported.
The European Council is the EU institution that defines the general political direction and priorities of the European Union.
The measures were first introduced in 2014 "in response to Russia's actions destabilizing the situation in Ukraine, were significantly expanded since February 2022, in response to Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against Ukraine," the EU Council said in a press release, as per CNN.
Currently, the sanctions include restrictions on trade, finance, technology and dual-use goods, industry, transport and luxury goods.
The council said: “They also cover: a ban on the import or transfer of seaborne crude oil and certain petroleum products from Russia to the EU, a de-SWIFTing of several Russian banks, and the suspension of the broadcasting activities and licenses of several Kremlin-backed disinformation outlets. Additionally, specific measures were introduced to strengthen the ability of the EU to counter sanctions circumvention.”
Meanwhile, Russia recently launched a barrage of drones and missiles overnight at the Ukrainian port city of Odesa, CNN reported. Russia has cited Ukraine's attack on the Crimea bridge for launching a strike on Odesa.
Russian Defense Ministry said, "Tonight the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation carried out a group retaliation strike with precision sea-based weapons against facilities where terrorist acts against the Russian Federation were being prepared using uncrewed boats, as well as the place where they were being manufactured at a ship repair plant near the city of Odessa,” the ministry said, using the Russian spelling for the southern city," according to CNN.
The Ukrainian Air Force has announced that it had intercepted all six Russian Kalibr cruise missiles launched at Odesa and the "vast majority" of Iran-made Shahed attack drones.
On Monday, the Russian government said that two Ukrainian seaborne drones were responsible for the attack on the bridge that connected the annexed Crimean peninsula and Russia's mainland.
As per the news report, the nearly 12-mile crossing, also known as the Kerch Bridge, is the longest in Europe. The Kerch Bridge holds strategic and symbolic importance for Russia. The attack carried out on the bridge on Monday was the second since the conflict between Russia and Ukraine started in February last year.
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