国际英语新闻:Russia sanctions more Ukrainian citizens, entities

MOSCOW, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has signed a decree expanding the list of Ukrainian individuals and entities subject to sanctions, the government said Tuesday.

Moscow will add over 200 Ukrainian citizens and legal entities to the list that already has 322 individuals and 68 entities, according to a Russian government statement.

"This was done to protect the interests of the Russian state, companies and citizens," Medvedev tweeted following his signing of the decree.

On Nov. 1, Russia published the initial blacklist, targeting Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's son Olexiy, Ukrainian Parliament Speaker Andriy Parubiy, key ministers and important businessmen.

The sanctions, ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin in October, include freezing non-cash funds, uncertificated securities and property controlled by the blacklisted in Russia and banning their withdrawal of capital from Russia.

Relations between Kiev and Moscow have been deteriorating since early 2014 over Crimea and armed conflicts in eastern Ukraine. Kiev has imposed a series of sanctions against Russia since then.