Russia takes restrictive measures against Ukraine, Turkey

MOSCOW - Russia has taken a series of restrictive measures against Ukraine and Turkey starting from Friday, the first day of 2016.

Russian President Vladimir Putin looks on as he delivers his annual New Year address to the nation in Moscow, Russia, December 31, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree regulating transit transportation of goods from Ukraine to Kazakhstan through Russian territory, which was posted Friday on Russian government's internet portal of legal information.

"International automobile and railway transit of goods from the Ukrainian territory to the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan through the territory of the Russian Federation...could be carried out only from the territory of Republic of Belarus," according to the decree.

It added that all the transport vehicles carrying goods from Ukraine to Kazakh territory through Russia should be equipped with devices supporting Russia's Glonass navigation system to track their movements.

Coming into force immediately and lasting until July 1, 2016, the decree was adopted as extra measure with the suspension of Russia-Ukraine free trade zone agreement.

The suspension also began Friday, simultaneously with Ukraine's implementation of the economic component of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and joining a free trade zone with the EU.

Besides trade deals, Moscow and Kiev were in dispute over the latter's 3-billion-U.S.-dollar debt.

The Russian Finance Ministry on Friday announced that it planned to file a lawsuit in a UK court against Ukraine over debt default.

"Ukraine has not made the payment of 3.075 billion U.S. dollars in repayment and servicing of external bonds owned by Russia during the grace period, which expired on Dec. 31, 2015. Thus, Ukraine is in a state of default now," the ministry said in a statement.

Noting that no proposal was made by the Ukrainian side on debt restructure, the ministry still expressed readiness to examine any significant offer from Ukraine on its debt to Russia.