EU imposes sanctions against 351 State Duma members, another 27 high profile individuals, entities

The European Union will extend restrictive measures to cover all the 351 members of the Russian State Duma, who voted on February 15 in favor of the appeal to President Putin to recognize the independence of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk "republics" and another 27 high profile individuals and entities, according to a statement released in Brussels on Wednesday.

"The Council today adopted on a package of measures to respond to the decision by the Russian Federation to proceed with the recognition of the non-government controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine as independent entities, and the subsequent decision to send Russian troops into these areas," according to the communiqué.

Restrictive measures affected 351 members of the State Duma of Russia and 27 high profile individuals and entities. The measures include an asset freeze and a ban on providing funds to listed individuals and entities, as well as a ban on travel and transit through the EU.

The EU also imposed sanctions to restrict Russia's access to financial markets and capital.

We are talking about "a sectoral prohibition to finance the Russian Federation, its government and Central Bank." "By restraining the ability of the Russian state and government to access the EU's capital, financial markets and services, the EU aims to limit the financing of escalatory and aggressive policies," according to the document.