The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has placed cement clinker (tariff heading semi-finished product for production of cement, tariff heading 2523 10 00 00) to the list of goods banned from importing to Ukraine from the Russian Federation.

"The introduction of cement clinkers into the list of goods banned to import into Ukraine from Russia is carried out as part of the policy of economic opposition to discriminatory actions against Ukraine by the aggressor state," the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade said in a statement on its website.

According to the explanatory note to the government resolution, the import of Russian cement clinker to Ukraine in 2017 almost doubled. Its share in total imports in 2017 was 85-87%, and in January-May 2018 it grew to 100%.

"It is expected that the government's decision will reduce the dependence of the Ukrainian economy on imports and increase the volume of its own production of cement clinkers," the ministry said.

The authors of the government resolution in the explanatory note said that the ban on the import of clinker from Russia will not create a cement deficit, and if necessary, the clinker can be imported from neighboring EU countries.

According to the draft resolution, the ban on the import of Russian clinker will come into force 10 days after the publication of the document.