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EU ambassadors agree to expand Ukraine blacklist over Crimean bridge — source

This decision should receive a formal approval of the EU Council at the ministerial level, a source told TASS

BRUSSELS, July 18. /TASS/. EU ambassadors have agreed to add several more people to the blacklist, which includes individuals who have played a role in undermining Ukraine’s sovereignty, over the inauguration of the Crimean bridge. This decision should receive a formal approval of the EU Council at the ministerial level, a European source informed TASS.

"I can confirm that the EU ambassadors have agreed to include several more individuals on the list of people who are responsible for undermining Ukraine’s sovereignty," the source said in reply to the question about additional restrictive measures in relation to the termination of the Crimean bridge’s construction. The names of the people added to the list will be announced after the decision is officially confirmed.

150 Russian and Ukrainian citizens, along with 38 organizations, form part of the Ukraine blacklist. The list mainly includes officials from the self-proclaimed Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics. The blacklisted individuals cannot access the territory of the EU, and all their European financial assets are frozen on discovery. The blacklist is extended every six months, currently it is in place until September 15, 2018.

On March 11, 2014, Crimea’s legislature and the city council of Sevastopol adopted a declaration of independence of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol amid a political crisis and change of power in Ukraine. On March 16, Crimea and Sevastopol held referendums, in which 96.77% of Crimeans and 95.6% of the people of Sevastopol voted to be incorporated into Russia. In both cases the turnout was above 80%. Ukraine, the United States and the European Union refused to recognize the independence of Crimea, and its forming part of Russia.