Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko has imposed a ban on Russia’s biggest social media networks and internet services popular with millions.

The decision is a significant move of building up of sanctions on Russia for Crimea and the continuing conflict in Donbass.

Those targeted include social networks VK.com and ok.ru (alumni,class-mates), search engine Yandex and the Mail.ru email service.

“Russia Today”  TV channel suspended for three years, and also  falls under the blocking of assets, suspension of the fulfillment of economic and financial obligations, as well as restriction or termination of the provision of telecommunications services and the use of public telecommunications networks.

In addition sanctions are imposed on a number of Russian media less known in the West, but paramount for Russian-speaking audiences as All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (BГТРК), including channel Rossia, National Media Group, NTV-plus.

“For me personally,  Ukraine consistently prohibits not only the dissemination of Russian-language content, but also a platform for communication in Russian, including social networks, which is a very sad fact” –  the spokesperson of NTV-Plus said. “It would be more honest to ban Russian language,” – he added. The general director of NTV-Plus Mikhail Demin ensured the ban has no significant consequences in financial terms.

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