EU imposes sanctions on Russian ministers of defense, economy

– The European Union said on Wednesday it had imposed sanctions on a number of senior Russian officials, including Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov, after Moscow recognized the independence of two separatist enclaves in Ukraine.

Also targeted was Andrey Kostin, chief executive officer of Bank VTB PAO, Russia’s second-largest bank. The EU made the announcement in its official journal.

(Reporting by Maria Kiselyova in Moscow, Writing by David Ljunggren; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)