The EU sanctions announced on 12 September targeted Russia's state finances, energy and arms sectors. These are sectors managed by the powerful elite around President Vladimir Putin.
Russian state banks are now excluded from raising long-term loans in the EU, exports of dual-use equipment for military use in Russia are banned, future EU-Russia arms deals are banned and the EU will not export a wide range of oil industry technology.
Three major state oil firms are targeted: Rosneft, Transneft and Gazprom Neft, the oil unit of gas giant Gazprom.
But the gas industry, space technology and nuclear energy are excluded from sanctions.
Dozens of senior Russian officials and separatist leaders are now subject to Western asset freezes and travel bans.
The targets are those considered "materially or financially supporting actions undermining or threatening Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence".
The EU has also followed the US lead in targeting more individuals in President Putin's inner circle, as well as some major companies.
An important target is Bank Rossiya, described as the "personal bank" for senior Russian officials. Its biggest shareholders - Yuri Kovalchuk and Nikolai Shamalov - are blacklisted. They were also co-founders of the mysterious Ozero Dacha Co-operative, a housing community on the shore of Lake Komsomolsk founded in 1996, whose members accumulated massive fortunes under Mr Putin.
An asset freeze affects not only bank accounts and shares but also economic resources such as property. So those on the list are not allowed to buy or sell their assets in the EU, once the freeze is in force.
The travel ban means being prevented from entering an EU country, even if a person is in transit. They would be placed on a visa blacklist
Germany has appeared especially reluctant to ratchet up sanctions. That is not surprising, as German exports to Russia totalled 38bn euros (£30bn; $51bn) in 2013 - the highest in the EU.
More importantly, Germany gets more than 30% of its oil and gas from Russia. Italy is also highly dependent on Russian energy and some of Russia's former Soviet bloc neighbours rely 100% on its gas deliveries.
The EU's trade with Russia - worth nearly 270bn euros in 2012 - dwarfs US-Russia trade.
Food exporters are already facing losses after Russia announced an immediate embargo on a wide range of food imported from the EU, US, Norway, Canada and Australia. It was announced as a response to the Western sanctions.
Fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, dairy produce and various other foods are affected by the Russian ban, which will last at least a year.
Russian state banks are now excluded from raising long-term loans in the EU, exports of dual-use equipment for military use in Russia are banned, future EU-Russia arms deals are banned and the EU will not export a wide range of oil industry technology.
Three major state oil firms are targeted: Rosneft, Transneft and Gazprom Neft, the oil unit of gas giant Gazprom.
But the gas industry, space technology and nuclear energy are excluded from sanctions.
Dozens of senior Russian officials and separatist leaders are now subject to Western asset freezes and travel bans.
The targets are those considered "materially or financially supporting actions undermining or threatening Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence".
The EU has also followed the US lead in targeting more individuals in President Putin's inner circle, as well as some major companies.
An important target is Bank Rossiya, described as the "personal bank" for senior Russian officials. Its biggest shareholders - Yuri Kovalchuk and Nikolai Shamalov - are blacklisted. They were also co-founders of the mysterious Ozero Dacha Co-operative, a housing community on the shore of Lake Komsomolsk founded in 1996, whose members accumulated massive fortunes under Mr Putin.
An asset freeze affects not only bank accounts and shares but also economic resources such as property. So those on the list are not allowed to buy or sell their assets in the EU, once the freeze is in force.
The travel ban means being prevented from entering an EU country, even if a person is in transit. They would be placed on a visa blacklist
Germany has appeared especially reluctant to ratchet up sanctions. That is not surprising, as German exports to Russia totalled 38bn euros (£30bn; $51bn) in 2013 - the highest in the EU.
More importantly, Germany gets more than 30% of its oil and gas from Russia. Italy is also highly dependent on Russian energy and some of Russia's former Soviet bloc neighbours rely 100% on its gas deliveries.
The EU's trade with Russia - worth nearly 270bn euros in 2012 - dwarfs US-Russia trade.
Food exporters are already facing losses after Russia announced an immediate embargo on a wide range of food imported from the EU, US, Norway, Canada and Australia. It was announced as a response to the Western sanctions.
Fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, dairy produce and various other foods are affected by the Russian ban, which will last at least a year.
