BRUSSELS -- European Union ambassadors have decided to add six Russian entities to its asset freeze and visa ban list for being involved in the recent construction of the Kerch Strait Bridge -- a 19-kilometer-long bridge linking the mainland of southern Russia with the Crimean Peninsula.
According to the EU, Russia's construction of the bridge since Moscow illegally annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine has contributed to the destabilization of Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
EU officials who spoke to RFE/RL on condition of anonymity say a formal decision to add the six entities to the sanctions list is expected in the coming days.
At present, the sanctions list contains the names of 155 individuals from Russia and Ukraine and 38 entities.
The Kerch Strait Bridge was opened for cars and buses in May. It contains a four-lane highway and two lines of railway tracks that are still under construction.
The $3.7 billion Russian construction project began in 2016.