MOSCOW, April 3 (RIA Novosti) - Ukraine's consumer rights watchdog withdrew Thursday Russian-made confectionery, cheese and fish products from sales at retail chains, citing product-labeling violations.
The move, targeting products made by Russia's most renowned chocolate factories - Krasny Oktyabr factory, Rot Front and Babayevsky Concern - has been ordered by Oleh Tyahnybok, a member of the new Ukrainian government and the leader of the neo-Nazi Svoboda party.
Ukraine has also banned fish products made in the Kaliningrad region, western Russia, and cheese spread produced by Laktalis Istra, in the Moscow region, after reportedly conducting checks of the products.
Russia's food safety watchdog dismissed the move Thursday saying it was in violation of the international law and procedures on laboratory checks, adding that Ukraine has yet failed to officially inform Russia of the ban.
"Neither Russian producers nor oversight bodies have received any official messages on sanctions," Rosselkhoznadzor said.
Russia banned imports from Ukraine's biggest candymaker, Roshen, in late July, saying analyzed product samples had failed to comply with sanitary regulations. Russia's consumer rights earlier imposed a ban on Ukrainian cheese supplies over their failure to meet Russian food standards.
