By Selen Temizer
BRUSSELS (AA) - EU countries have started banning Russian ships from their ports, with many critical imports, namely oil and natural gas, exempted under the bloc's latest sanctions.
The EU announced its fifth sanctions package on April 5, currently being implemented by Bulgaria, Romania, Estonia, Belgium, Italy, and Greece.
As part of these sanctions, the bloc also released a directive for vessels owned and operated by Russia to be prohibited from EU ports.
So, many member states have in recent days started closing their ports to vessels operating under the Russian flag, including recreational craft and yachts, as well as those that switched to another country after the war in Ukraine broke out on Feb. 24.
Since the war began on Feb. 24, the civilian death toll in Ukraine has climbed to 2,104, while 2,862 more people have been injured, according to UN estimates, with the true figure feared to be much higher.
More than 5 million Ukrainians have fled to other countries, with over 7 million more internally displaced, according to the UN refugee agency.