MOSCOW, March 31 (RAPSI/RIA Novosti) – Sanctions imposed by the European Union against Russia over the recent events in Ukraine will not concern regular Russian citizens, head of EU mission in Moscow Vygaudas Ušackas told Kommersant daily on Monday.
According to Ušackas, the sanctions won't affect Russian citizens. On the contrary, several Baltic and Mediterranean countries relaxed the visa procedures for Russians, in an effort to attract more tourists.
The US and EU have imposed sanctions on senior Russian officials, whom they believe assisted Crimea's reunification bid, and warned Russia of international isolation if tensions over Ukraine continue to escalate.
Russia's Foreign Ministry earlier said that talking to Russia in the language of sanctions is "inappropriate and counterproductive" and warned its Western partners that sanctions would have a boomerang effect.
Crimea, formerly an autonomous republic within Ukraine, held a referendum earlier this month in which voters overwhelmingly supported a move to rejoin Russia after having been undemocratically gifted to Ukraine by Soviet leaders just over a half century ago.
