In a tit-for-tat move, Russia has unveiled yet another round of retaliatory measures against Ukraine in light of the death of 24 people in a border city last week.
On Tuesday morning, the Russian government declared a ban on imports from Ukraine and warned its citizens against traveling there. The decision follows a move from the Ukrainian government to throttle back most transport and trade ties with the separatist-controlled eastern territories along Russia’s border.
The latest round of sanctions is aimed squarely at Ukraine and come as tensions between Moscow and Kiev continue to mount.
The incident which sparked the latest round of sanctions dates back to April 24 when 24 Ukrainian servicemen were killed in fierce fighting of the city of Kramatorsk, near the Russian border. The Ukrainian government suspects Russian-backed separatists of perpetrating the attack, though they deny the charge.
As a result, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has promised to retaliate with travel and trade bans. In response, the Russian government followed suit weeks later, announcing on Tuesday that it was banning imports from Ukraine and urging its citizens not to visit the country.
The move comes in the wake of Russia’s earlier rounds of economic sanctions against Ukraine, including blacklisting almost 200 citizens, banning imports of 10 categories of Ukrainian goods, and expanding a trade embargo on Ukrainian foods.
The deepening dispute between Moscow and Kiev has put the two countries on the brink of an all-out economic war, with the European Union and the United States weighing in.
Both sides have accused the other of aggressive behavior, and it’s anyone’s guess how the current round of sanctions will play out. But one thing is certain: the repercussions of the fighting in Kramatorsk have further escalated the current tensions.
