MOSCOW, July 26 (RIA Novosti) – Additional sanctions announced by the European Union against Russia bear evidence of the EU intention to scale back security cooperation with the country.
“[The new sanctions list] is direct evidence that European countries have set a course for curtailing security cooperation with Russia, including efforts against proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, counter-terrorism and crime prevention,” the statement said.
On Friday, the European Union extended its sanctions over the crisis in Ukraine. The blacklist published in the EU official journal later in the day includes Russian Federal Security Service chief Aleksander Bortnikov, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service Mikhail Fradkov and other high-ranking officials.
The European Council earlier stated that those targeted by sanctions are responsible for violating Ukraine's territorial integrity.
Moscow has repeatedly called the language of sanctions counterproductive.
