"The European Union should impose sanctions against Ukraine, as there is ongoing active work on the recruitment of terrorists on the territory of Ukraine… We regard the Ukrainian authorities as accomplices of terrorists, since they did not take any measures to neutralize the religious terrorist groups that are concentrated in the Kherson region of [southern] Ukraine, and involved in the blockade of Crimea," a member of the Crimean government, Zaur Smirnov, told RIA Novosti.
He recalled that the European Union was authorized to impose sanctions against terrorist groups, such as al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (outlawed in Russia) and their allies and supporters.
Crimea rejoined Russia in 2014, after an overwhelming majority of voters supported the historic reunification in a referendum. The West stated the vote was illegitimate and accused Russia in fueling the Ukrainian internal conflict, imposing sanctions on Moscow.
