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Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said the Russian authorities will seek ways in January to weaken sanctions imposed on them.

Read alsoEU's decision to prolong sanctions over actions against Ukraine comes into effect

"The ruble is weakening even amid growing prices of crude oil. The Russian authorities were forced to raise the retirement age. They had to increase VAT. This is the cost of aggression," he said in the Verkhovna Rada, noting the fact that Russia is so aggressively fighting against the sanctions means they are working, the Novoe Vremya weekly reported.

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Russia puts considerable efforts into the support of left- and right-wing radical movements in Europe and meddles in elections to weaken the sanctions or have them lifted, the Ukrainian president said.

Poroshenko also promised to prevent the lifting of the sanctions against Russia.