EU Adds Six Russian Duma Deputies From Crimea To Sanctions List

BRUSSELS -- The European Union has added six new deputies in Russia's State Duma -- all from Crimea -- to its sanctions list over Russia's seizure and illegal annexation of the Ukrainian territory.

The six blacklisted State Duma deputies won their seats in Russia's September parliamentary elections.

The EU sanctions have been imposed on individuals and entities that, according to Brussels, are responsible for actions against Ukraine's territorial integrity.

Asset freezes and visa bans were first imposed by the EU in March 2014 after Russia illegally annexed Crimea.

Those sanctions have been continued and expanded by a series of additional votes by EU officials in Brussels, including the most recent vote in September that has prolonged the sanctions for another six months.

The Russian Duma deputies from Crimea will be officially added to the sanctions list on November 9 when their names are published in the EU official journal.

That will bring the total number of sanctioned individuals to 152 -- including Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin and Dmitry Kiselyov, who many regard as the Kremlin's chief propagandist.

There also are 37 entities targeted by EU sanctions. They include companies active in Crimea and military battalions formed by Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Based on reporting by RFE/RL's Brussels correspondent Rikard Jozwiak