REUTERS

The Council of the European Union has added six legal entities involved in the construction of the Kerch Strait Bridge to its sanctions list.

"The Council added six entities to the list of those subject to restrictive measures over actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. They are listed because of their involvement in the construction of the Kerch [Strait] Bridge, connecting Russia to the illegally annexed Crimean peninsula," the Council said in a statement on July 31.

"Through their actions they supported the consolidation of Russia's control over the illegally annexed Crimean peninsula, which in turn further undermines the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine," it said.

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The restrictive measures consist of an asset freeze, meaning that all of the assets in the EU belonging to these entities are frozen and EU persons and entities cannot make any funds available to them.

The decision brings the total number of entities listed by the EU to 44. In addition, the EU imposed a travel ban and an asset freeze on 155 individuals under this sanctions regime.

The EU Official Journal of July 31, 2018, lists the six entities as follows: AO "Institute Giprostroymost — Saint-Petersburg," PJSC Mostotrest, JSC Zaliv Shipyard, Stroygazmontazh Corporation (SGM Group), Stroygazmontazh Most OOO, and CJSC VAD.

The sanctions are effective as of July 31, 2018.

Other EU measures in place in response to the Ukraine crisis include economic sanctions targeting specific sectors of the Russian economy, currently in place until January 31, 2019; restrictive measures in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol, limited to the territory of Crimea and Sevastopol, currently in place until June 23, 2019.