Russia says bars entry to more EU officials over fresh sanctions
Russia said Friday it was barring entry to more European officials in response to the EU’s decision to slap new sanctions on Moscow over the conflict in Ukraine.
“In response to these unfriendly actions, the Russian side has significantly expanded the list of representatives of European institutions and EU member states who... are prohibited from entering the territory of our state,” the foreign ministry said in a statement, AFP reported.
It did not specify the number of officials that were being sanctioned or give their names.
The European Union this week agreed an 11th package of penalties against Russia over its large-scale “military operation” in Ukraine, including measures aimed at clamping down on evasion of restrictions already in place.
“We confirm that any unfriendly actions taken by Western countries will continue to receive a timely and adequate response,” Russia’s Foreign Ministry added.
Ukraine is in the early stages of its most ambitious counterattack since Russia’s full-scale operation in February 2022 and says it has retaken eight villages, its first substantial gains on the battlefield for seven months, Reuters reported.
Ukraine’s armed forces have halted a Russian offensive towards the cities of Kupiansk and Lyman in the east of the country, and are advancing in the south, a senior Ukrainian defence official said on Friday.
“We had very fierce battles in the Kupiansk and Lyman directions, Maliar told Ukrainian television.
But Russia still holds swathes of territory in eastern and southern Ukraine, and Ukrainian forces have yet to push to the main defensive lines that Russia has had months to prepare.
Reuters said it was unable to verify the situation on the battlefield. Each side says the other has suffered heavy losses since Ukraine began its counteroffensive, and Moscow has not acknowledged Ukraine’s recent military gains.