Russia to bar state-run companies from importing vehicles: report

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia is preparing to bar state-run companies from importing vehicles, heavy equipment and metallurgy products, a Russian daily said Sunday, Oct 19, according RIA Novosti.

Citing data, obtained from the Russian ministries of industry and trade, and economic development, the Kommersant newspaper said Russia's state-owned companies will be prohibited from buying certain foreign-made industry products that have Russian analogues.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade confirmed to the paper it had drafted a "general directive," which will apply to companies that are 50 percent or more owned by the Russian government, although no list was revealed.

"The restrictions will be recommended to state companies by state representatives on their boards of directors," a source in the Ministry of Economic Development told the Kommersant.

The West has imposed several rounds of sanctions against Russia's largest banks and energy and defense companies over Moscow's alleged involvement in the Ukrainian conflict, a claim repeatedly denied by senior Russian officials.

Russia responded by introducing a one-year ban on certain food imports from the United States, the European Union, Canada, Australia and Norway. Economic Development Minister Alexei Ulyukayev said the ban would stay in effect until the European Union lifted its anti-Russian sanctions.

In September, presidential aide Andrei Belousov told RIA Novosti that Russia had already prepared a new package of retaliatory measures, which includes restrictions on imports of cars and textile products.