Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed an executive order on introducing special economic measures in response to Ukraine's unfriendly actions toward a number of Russian individuals and legal entities.

In the order, which has been published on the Kremlin's website, the president issues a number of instructions "for the purpose of protecting the Russian Federation's national interests in response to Ukraine's unfriendly actions, which violate international law, related to the imposition of restrictive measures on citizens and legal entities of the Russian Federation."

"The federal bodies of state authority, bodies of state authority of the Russian Federation's constituent entities, other state bodies, local bodies of self-government, and organizations and individuals within the Russian Federation's jurisdiction shall, in pursuing their activities, take into consideration that, starting the day this executive order comes into effect, special economic measures shall be applied to certain individuals and legal entities," the order reads.

The government has also been instructed to draw up lists of individuals and legal entities to which special economic measures are to be applied and determine special economic measures to be applied to them.

The government has also been instructed "to ensure, within its jurisdiction, the application of other measures essential for the implementation of this executive order," the document reads.

The order took effect immediately and is subject to cancellation at the Russian government's recommendation in the event the restrictive measures imposed by Ukraine on Russian individuals and legal entities are canceled, it says.