The Russian Government has taken retaliatory action against six countries for taking sides with the EU in adopting sanctions, expanding the current food embargo that previously only covered the EU, Norway, the U.S., Canada and Australia.

In a government meeting, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev announced the economic measures would also now apply to Albania, Montenegro, Iceland and Liechtenstein, as well as Ukraine on special terms.

"These countries joined the European Union's decision to extend the anti-Russian sanctions," Medvedev said.

"They explain their decision by the fact that they are obliged to impose these sanctions due to various kinds of agreements with the European Union, but this position is only partly true.

"A number of states that have similar agreements with the EU have not adopted the anti-Russian sanctions."

It was previously speculated that Georgia would be covered under the new measures, but the Black Sea nation was left off the list.

Medvedev said any nation that participated in sanctions against Russia had made a "conscious choice", which showed their readiness for Russia's response.

"These measures have now been taken. As for Ukraine, the ban on agricultural imports will enter into force only if its government should implement the economic part of the EU Association Agreement, which Kiev signed in June 2014," he said.

"We agreed to give some time (until 1 January 2016) to resolve issues of economic regulation.

"After this period, if we cannot reach an agreement, with the EU as the mediator, and there have been no signs of this so far – the previously adopted documents will enter into force, which set a regular trade regime and food embargoes for Ukraine."

To see more stories relating to the Russian ban, click here.

Photo: Government.ru

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