The EU decided to impose sanctions against 14 businessmen and 146 senators from Russia

The European Union has introduced a new package of sanctions due to the situation in Ukraine, according to the website of the European Commission.

160 Russians became the defendants in the sanctions lists: 14 people whom the EC calls "oligarchs and well-known businessmen working in key sectors of the economy," as well as 146 members of the Federation Council who ratified friendship agreements with the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics. A complete list of persons who became defendants in the sanctions lists is not provided in the publication.

In total, EU restrictive measures now apply to 862 individuals and 53 legal entities.

The Federation Council voted to ratify the treaties of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance with the DPR and LPR on February 22, the day after Russia recognized their independence. The senators present at the voting supported the decisions unanimously. The next day, the Federation Council gave Russian President Vladimir Putin permission to use the armed forces in the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics.

Since the end of February, the European Union has introduced several packages of sanctions against Russia. So, on February 23, the EU imposed sanctionsagainst 351 State Duma deputies who voted on February 15 in support of an appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin with a request to recognize the independence of the LPR and DPR. The list also included 27 individuals and organizations that, according to Brussels, "played a role in undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine."