Ukraine Imposes Sanctions On Russian Publishing Companies - Presidential Decree

KIEV (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st March, 2019) The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) has for the first time imposed sanctions on the largest Russian publishing companies and online platforms, selling Russian e-books, according to a decree by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

On Wednesday, the council said Ukraine imposed sanctions against 294 legal entities and 848 individuals involved in the construction of the Crimean Bridge, elections in the Donbas region and the incident in the Sea of Azov.

According to the presidential decree, issued on the same day, the new restrictions targeted Russian publishing companies Eksmo, AST and Piter, among other entities. Moreover, the sanctions list includes e-commerce platform Labirint, selling books.

The decree also obliges Ukrainian internet providers to block users from accessing Russian e-commerce website Ozon.ru.

In late 2016, Poroshenko said a law restricting the access of "anti-Ukrainian" reading materials from Russia to the Ukrainian market.

Relations between Moscow and Kiev deteriorated in 2014 after Crimea's reunification with Russia and amid the crisis in eastern Ukraine.

The Ukrainian authorities have accused Russia of interfering in Ukraine's internal affairs and being involved in the conflict in Donbas. Russia has repeatedly denied the allegations, stressing that it is not party to the internal conflict in Ukraine and wanted the country to overcome its political and economic crises.