MOSCOW, December 26. /TASS/. Moscow believes the European Union’s sanctions imposed on Crimea are paradoxical, Russia’s Envoy to the EU Vladimir Chizhov said at a video conference on Friday.

On December 18 the EU tightened restrictive measures against the Black Sea peninsula that had reunified with Russia in March. These ban supplies of more than 200 items, ranging from cigarette lighters to sea vessels and floating structures together with “aircraft, spacecraft and parts thereof.”

“While looking at the latest batch of sanctions, there emerges a question — earlier these measures have been dogged by statements that they are pinpoint, targeting the leaders, but do not aim to harm the population,” Chizhov said.

“It’s a commonly recognized fact that economic sanctions are affecting negatively Russians’ economic situation,” he said. “The latest batch of sanctions is paradoxical. If from the EU’s point of view Crimea is part of Ukraine, then restrictions against Crimea happen to be sanctions against Ukraine.”

“These sanctions do not target Crimea’s leaders but create troubles for the peninsula’s daily life,” Chizhov said. “For instance, air conditioners are among banned supplies. What can it be but the erosion of well-being of that part of population the EU views as Ukraine’s? That’s ridiculous.”

European businesses are additionally prohibited from supplying technology and equipment for transport, telecommunications and energy, and from prospecting, exploring and producing hydrocarbons and minerals. Technical assistance and brokering services for creating infrastructure in these sectors are also blacklisted.