The Council of the European Union by its decision, dated July 30, 2018/1072 imposed sanctions against six companies involved in the illegal construction of the Kerch Strait Bridge: JSC “Institute Giprostroymost – Saint-Petersburg”, PJSC “Mostotrest”, JSC Zaliv Shipyard, Stroygazmontazh Corporation (SGM Group), LLC “Stroygazmontazh-Most” and JSC “VAD”.
As the decision points out, the Kerch Straight Bridge is the next violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. The construction of this bridge and its official opening, on May 15, 2018, are key symbolic steps in consolidating the Russian Federation’s control over the illegally annexed Crimea and Sevastopol and further isolating the peninsula from Ukraine,
President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko welcomed the decision of the Council of the European Union 2018/1072 to impose sanctions against six legal entities involved in the illegal construction of the Kerch Strait Bridge. “The Kerch sanctions list opened a new page of our joint counteraction to the aggressive actions of the Kremlin to implement the actual blockade of Ukrainian sea ports in the Azov Sea. In collaboration with international partners, we will find effective political and legal and security mechanisms to stop the Russian blockade of the Azov Sea” – said President of Ukraine.
Petro Poroshenko requested the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine to strengthen work on further sanctions to be applied against the Russian aggressor and any individual or legal persons, concerned to the attempts of annexation and temporarily occupation of Ukrainian Crimea.