Ukrainian President announces new EU sanctions against six Russians involved in construction of Crimean Bridge
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko stated on his Facebook page that following consultations with Kyiv the representatives of the European Union decided to impose individual sanctions against six Russians involved in the Crimean Bridge construction.
According to him, “the ambassadors of the EU member states have decided to impose individual sanctions against six people involved in the illegal construction of the Kerch Bridge.” The decision was made at the Ukraine-EU summit.
As emphasized by Poroshenko, this decision testifies “to the inevitability of the punishment for any individuals or legal entities that had, have or will have to do with actions related to the attempt of annexation and temporary occupation of the Ukrainian Crimea.”
Poroshenko thanked the representatives of the European Union for their solidarity and support of Kyiv “in countering the Russian aggressor.” Poroshenko did not specify who exactly will be affected by the restrictions.
On June 18, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin called on the EU to impose sanctions against the builders of the bridge across the Kerch Strait, as well as all those responsible for “human rights violations in the Crimea.” The EU Council decided to extend the restrictions in respect of the Crimea and Sevastopol for another year. “Big thanks to our EU friends for the extension of the Crimea-related sanctions. It is crucial to make a [sanctions] list of those responsible for massive human rights violations on the occupied peninsula and those engaged in the construction of the Kerch Bridge,” the Foreign Minister stated.
Earlier, Kyiv imposed sanctions against Russian businessman Arkady Rotenberg, who owns the Stroygazmontazh company, which is the main contractor of the Crimean Bridge construction. The construction of the bridge connecting the Crimea and the Taman Peninsula has been under way since 2016. The bridge passes across the Kerch Strait. Russian President Vladimir Putin opened a car section of the bridge on May 15.
On April 10, it became known that the Russian company Mostotrest would receive the contract for the maintenance of the bridge and its road connections. Stroygazmontazh’s subsidiary company SGM-Most will provide it with the subcontract for the bridge construction in the amount of 96.9 billion rubles (1.54 billion dollars). The USA imposed sanctions against the latter two companies as far back as 2016. Arkady Rotenberg himself and Stroygazmontazh were blacklisted by the USA as far back as 2014, and then the EU introduced sanctions against Rotenberg as well.