European Union Sanctions Companies Following Construction of Bridge Between Russia and Crimean Peninsula

The European Union has sanctioned six Russian companies following the construction of a bridge that connects Russia and the Crimean Peninsula.

Radio Free Europe reported that the bridge, which contains a four-lane highway and a pair of railway tracks, was opened in May after two years of construction. The EU said that the six companies were sanctioned because the construction of the bridge is illegal.

In 2014, Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula, which was part of Ukraine. Following the signing of a treaty in which Russia stipulated that it was allowed to take the area from Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin said in a speech, "Crimea is our common legacy," and, "It can only be Russian today."

When the annexation of Crimea took place, the European Union responded by imposing sanctions against Russia. The addition of the six companies sanctioned by the European Union adds to an already established list of sanctions.

A press release from the European Union said, "The decision brings the total number of entities listed by the EU to 44." The release went on to say that, in addition to the 44 entities, "the EU imposed a travel ban and an asset freeze on 155 individuals under this sanctions regime."

Following the announcement, the foreign minister of Ukraine, Pavlo Klimkin tweeted that he welcomes "the EU Council decision to sanction Russian companies responsible for Kerch Bridge construction."

He then added that the sanctions are an "important warning also for European businesses not to go down same slippery slope."

The bridge, dubbed the Kerch Strait Bridge, cost a total of $3.6 billion. The bridge is aptly named after the strait that separates Southern Russia from the Crimean Peninsula.

Three of the companies that were sanctioned belong to Arkady Rotenberg. According to The Moscow Times, Rotenburg is a close friend of Putin and was one of the first people to be included in the European Union's original sanctions from 2014.

According to Reuters, Rotenburg didn't seem too distressed about the announcement when his spokesperson quoted him saying, "We're all proud of our work, and if someone doesn't like it that's not our problem."

On Monday, Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev commented on the situation involving the peninsula. "You can say that the most difficult stage has passed. We've entered into a more relaxed and planned mode of operation," he said.

However, Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman from the Russian Foreign Ministry, said that the new sanctions were a "subversive policy aimed against Crimea's citizens."