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Anti-Russian sanctions

Russian senator says EU sanctions 'comical'

In earlier comments on the US move to include his name in the list of Russian officials punished by sanctions, Head of the Committee on Constitutional Legislation under the Federation Council Andrei Klishas underlined that he was not afraid of those measures

Head of the Committee on Constitutional Legislation Andrei Klishas ITAR-TASS/Sergei Fadeichev

Head of the Committee on Constitutional Legislation Andrei Klishas

© ITAR-TASS/Sergei Fadeichev

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State Duma deputies draft statement on sanctions from US, EU

MOSCOW, March 18. /ITAR-TASS/. Head of the Committee on Constitutional Legislation under the Federation Council upper house of the Russian parliament Andrei Klishas, blacklisted by the European Union, has described the sanctions against Russian officials as "hilarious."

"I have no [bank] accounts in Europe," Klishas confirmed in an interview with Iar-Tass. "As for the six-month ban on entring the EU, it surely looks hilarious."

"The feeling European politicians evoke in me in connection with all this Ukrainian story is between pity and disgust," Klishas said.

In earlier comments on the US move to include his name in the list of Russian officials punished by sanctions, Klishas underlined that he was not afraid of those measures. Furthermore, he acknowledged that he was not against "being listed in the company of respected people."

"This high appraisal of my activity by the US government is absolutely justified," the senator joked.

The black list composed by the USA includes presidential aide Vladislav Surkov, presidential advisor Sergei Glazyev, head of the parliament committee for CIS affairs Leonid Slutsky, Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, Chairman of the parliament Committee for Family, Women and Children Yelena Mizulina, Crimean Prime Minister Sergey Aksyonov, State Council Speaker Vladimir Konstantinov, leader of the Ukrainian Choice public movement Viktor Medvedchuk and Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.

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The EU black list has 21 names, including 13 Russian citizens. Among the Russians are Head of the Committee on Defense Viktor Ozerov, First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on International Affairs Vladimir Dzhabarov, A Just Russia leader Sergei Mironov, Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Sergei Zheleznyak, Head of the parliament Committee on CIS Affairs Leonid Slutsky, Black Sea Fleet Commander Vice-Admiral Alexander Vitko, Head of the Western Military District Anatoly Sidorov and Commander of the Southern Military District Alexander Galkin.

The people blacklisted by the EU are banned from entering the EU territory for six months. The EU will also freeze their bank accounts if such are found in EU banks.

The European Council believes that these officials are personally responsible for the actions undermining Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

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Sanctions vs. Russia

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