MOSCOW, August 4. /TASS/. Russia’s Energy Ministry has refused to comment on the EU decision to add its two officials - Deputy Energy Minister Andrei Cherezov and head of department of operational control and management in electric power industry Evgeniy Grabchak to the sanction list due to the situation with German company Siemens.

"No comments," a spokesperson with the ministry said.

Cherezov is in charge of provision of sustainable energy supply and development of the fuel and energy complex of Russia’s Southern Federal District, namely the Crimea, Sevastopol and the south-western region of the Krasnodar region. He is also in charge of the department of operational control and management in electric power industry.

On Friday, the EU expanded the sanction list against Russia related to deliveries of Germany’s Siemens turbines to Crimea.

"The EU has added 3 Russian nationals and 3 companies involved in the transfer of gas turbines to Crimea to the list of persons subject to restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence," press service of the EU Council said.

On July 21, Siemens announced that all four gas turbines produced by the German company for a project in southern Russia have been delivered to Crimea, in breach of the agreements.

Siemens stressed that it has no plans to wrap up operations in Russia but will toughen the rules of operation in the country. From now on it will implement new projects for development of gas turbine power generation equipment in Russia only through a joint venture with Power Machines - Siemens Gas Turbine Technologies (STGT), and its wholly-owned subsidiary, OOO Siemens, Moscow. All new engagements would be subject to the new, permanent control mechanism, the company said.

Russian Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov stressed, in connection with the scandal, that the Russian party showed maximum legal correctness when using Siemens technologies in production of turbines for thermal power plants in Crimea. The minister explained that Simferopol and Sevastopol thermal power plants will be equipped with turbines that were made in Russia with the use of foreign components. The turbines have a Russian certificate, the minister said.