Ukraine mulls imposing sanctions on Russia. (Arseny Yatsenyuk ordered the government...)

Ukraine has set up a special commission to work on sanctions against Russia over its alleged help for insurgents in the east, Ukrainian Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers Ostap Semerak said on Wednesday.

"We have adopted a resolution on the establishment of such a commission," Semerak told reporters after a cabinet meeting.

According to him, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin will head the commission, while Justice Minister Pavlo Petrenko will co-chair the committee.

• Earlier in the day, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk ordered the government to impose sanctions on Russian individuals and companies, which are allegedly involved in "sponsoring terrorism in Ukraine" and "support encroachment on the independence and territorial integrity of the Ukrainian state."

Kiev has repeatedly blamed Moscow for inciting unrest in eastern Ukraine. Russia, however, denied the charges, saying that the accusations were groundless.

Tensions in eastern Ukraine have been escalating since mid-April following an armed confrontation between Ukrainian security forces and insurgents, who demand independence from Kiev.

To retake cities in the east, which have been under the control of the insurgents since the unrest began, the Ukrainian government has launched an "anti-terror" operation.

• The violent standoff between government forces and insurgents in eastern Ukraine has so far claimed hundreds of lives and left thousands of people, including civilians, injured.

 Sources: Xinhua - globaltimes.cn
23/7/14
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