WASHINGTON, April 7. /TASS/. Member states of the Group of Seven (G7) will step up efforts to control the implementation of sanctions imposed against Russia, paying particular attention to the country’s possible evasion of restrictive measures, according to a statement by G7 top diplomats, published on Thursday after a meeting on the sidelines of a NATO ministerial summit in Brussels.

"Together with international partners, the G7 will sustain and increase pressure on Russia by imposing coordinated additional restrictive measures…," the statement reads.

"We will work together to stop any attempts to circumvent sanctions or to aid Russia by other means," according to the statement. "We are taking further steps to expedite plans to reduce our reliance on Russian energy, and will work together to this end."

Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine

President Vladimir Putin announced on February 24 that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics he had made a decision to carry out a special military operation in Ukraine in order to protect people "who have been suffering from abuse and genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years."

The Russian leader stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories and the operation was aimed at demilitarizing and denazifying Ukraine.

When clarifying the developments unfolding, the Russian Defense Ministry reassured that Russian troops are not targeting Ukrainian cities, but are limited to surgically striking and incapacitating Ukrainian military infrastructure. There are no threats whatsoever to the civilian population.

Western countries responded to the actions of the Russian authorities by slapping numerous sanctions against physical and legal entities.