04/01/2019 (Agence Europe) – Following the European Council's decision of 13 December 2018 (see EUROPE 12159), the Council officially prolonged, on Friday 21 December, the economic sanctions against Russia for six months, until 31 July 2019. This prolongation, adopted by written procedure, was published in the ‘Official Journal’ on 28 December. The measures target the financial, energy and defence sectors as well as the area of dual-use goods. They were introduced in July 2014 and strengthened in September of the same year in response to Russia's actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine, the Council recalled in its communiqué of 21 December. (CG)