MOSCOW, December 29. /TASS/. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev announced ban on imports of a number of goods from Ukraine into the country.
"Russia introduces ban on imports of a number of Ukrainian goods. This is a retaliatory measure against Ukrainian restrictions. I signed the corresponding decree," Medvedev wrote on Twitter.
According to the government press service, the signed decree introduces a ban on imports of goods from Ukraine or transported through Ukraine into Russia, according to the approved list. "The majority of the goods that fall under the imposed ban belongs to the industrial category. The list also includes agricultural products, raw materials and food," the government explained.
The government noted that Russia might decide to cancel the introduction of special economic measures, if Ukraine abolishes the restrictive measures introduced earlier in relation to specific Russian goods.
On December 18, the Ukrainian government extended embargo on food imports from Russia until 2020. The blacklist of Russian goods has 30 categories, including bread and bakery, chocolates, meat, fish, coffee, black tea, baby food, filtered cigarettes, beer, vodka and other products.
Russia suspended the free trade zone agreement with Ukraine starting from January 1, 2016, after the economic section of Ukraine’s association agreement with the European Union came into force. Besides, Russia’s embargo on European goods, which has been in place since August 2014, was expanded to include Ukraine in early 2016. It prohibits imports of meat, sausages, fish and shellfish, fruit, vegetables and dairy products from Ukraine. Kiev responded with a ban on imports of Russian goods, which came into force on January 10, 2016.