The European Union placed more Ukrainians and Russians under sanctions on Monday, accusing them of "undermining or threatening" Ukraine's independence.

The new list - published on the Official Journal of the European Communities (OJEC) at 8.30 a.m. GMT - places "restrictive measures" on 28 people or organizations, including Russia's First Deputy Minister of Defense, Arkady Bakhin.

Also on the list was Deputy Minister of Defense Anatoly Antonov and Andrei Kartapolov, the deputy chief of the general staff of the Russian armed forces. The sanctions are due to come into effect immediately.

The new penalties are part of an ongoing program by the European Union, but come just days after a cease-fire was announced in Ukraine. Military conflict with Russian separatists has been one of the biggest factors weighing on markets in recent months, but despite the cease-fire some of the rebels have not observed the truce, according to reports.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Moscow would "adequately" respond to the sanctions, according to Reuters. It added that the measures contradicted common sense and would not result in a solution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

