MOSCOW, Oct. 21 (UPI) -- Russia will ban imports of fruits and vegetables from Ukraine beginning Wednesday, the government announced Tuesday.

The Russian government agriculture overseer Rosselkhpznadzor, in a statement, noted Ukrainian produce typically lacks labels indicating the country of origin, suggesting the practice is a means of selling banned European Union products in Russia with Ukraine as a middleman.


Russia banned importation of EU and U.S. foods in August in a response to economic sanctions placed on Russia for its involvement in Crimea and Ukraine. It prompted a temporary increase of food exports from Ukraine to Russia, where 70 percent of Ukrainian food and vegetable exports are sent.

Prior to Tuesday's announcement, a Russian ban on certain Ukrainian food products resulted in a 23 percent decline in Ukrainian exports to Russia in the first six months of 2014. The decline in the value of the Russian ruble meant Ukrainian suppliers received lower payments, many of which were not made on time.