KIEV, September 11 (RIA Novosti) – The Ukrainian parliament's daily newspaper Golos Ukrainy (Voice of Ukraine) published on Thursday a law paving the way for the imposition of sanctions against Russia, including a ban on the transit of Russian gas.
"This law enters into force on the day following its publication," the text reads.
The bill was signed into law by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Wednesday.
The document authorizes the introduction of more than 20 restrictive measures: freezing Russian assets, curtailing trade operations, banning the entry of Russian vessels into territorial waters and ports, and transit flights by Russian airlines.
The Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said last month that Kiev government has prepared a list of 172 individuals and 65 legal entities from Russia and other states that could become subject to sanctions.
This Wednesday Alexei Pushkov, who heads Russia's lower house foreign affairs committee, said Wednesday the move is "hysterical and senseless" and is expected to only aggravate Kiev's situation. Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said earlier that possible Kiev's sanctions against Russia will not affect Moscow's main approach to the crisis in Ukraine.
The United States, the European Union and other countries have already imposed several rounds of sanctions against Russia accusing Moscow of supporting eastern Ukraine independence supporters. Russia has repeatedly denied any involvement in the conflict.
Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin introduced counter-measures against several countries that imposed sanctions on Russia. These measures banned the import of agricultural and food products from Australia, Canada, the United States, the European Union and Norway for a year.
