Russia to impose food embargo upon Ukraine since Jan 1

The Russian government has ruled to impose a food embargo upon Ukraine since Jan 1, Russia’s Economic Development Minister Alexey Ulyukaev has said today.

“As Ukraine has joined economic, financial sanctions against Russia, we have decided to introduce protective measures in the form of food embargo. This decision is of postponed nature. It will be active since January 1,” he said.

Commenting on the embargo, head of the Russian agriculture watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor Alexey Alexeenko assured Russian people that this poses no threat of food deficit, as Russia has managed to restructure cattle breeding and turned into an exporter in this sector.

As EADaily reported earlier, Ulyukaev said before that Russia was ready to impose the embargo upon Ukraine in case representatives of Russia, Ukraine and the European Union fail to agree on a free-trade zone agreement between Ukraine and the EU. The Russian minister also complained that European and Ukrainian partners were urging Russia to sign under some obligations, and Ulykaev then was skeptical about possibility of a trilateral agreement.