The European Council, which represents the bloc's 27 member states, said in a statement that the EU and its member states "strongly condemn Russia’s intensifying campaign of hybrid activities."
These activities "illustrate Russia’s reckless and irresponsible behaviour and its disregard for the rules-based international order and international law," the statement said.
Russia's activities against the EU and its member states include "cyber-attacks, information manipulation and interference campaigns, cases of arson, vandalism and sabotage, including against our critical infrastructure as well as instrumentalisation of migration and other disruptive actions," according to the statement.
Russia also "continues to disrupt satellite communications, violate European airspace and conduct physical attacks against individuals on the territory of the EU," the European Council said.
It added that "these malicious activities are part of a broad coordinated hybrid campaign directed by Russia as an attempt to divide our society, destabilise and weaken the EU and its Member States and our resilience as well as to undermine our support to Ukraine and its ability to defend itself."
The statement announced the establishment of "a dedicated framework of restrictive measures in view of Russia’s destabilising activities."
Under the new rules, the EU can "target those who are responsible for, implement, support or benefit from Russia’s destabilising actions worldwide, as well as their associates and supporters," the statement said.
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Source: PAP, consilium.europa.eu