Russia enforces ban on Western foods by steamrolling nine tonnes of cheese
The Russian government has upheld its commitment to its one-year-old ban on Western food by steamrolling tonnes of contraband cheese and destroying fruit with tractors.
The government steamrolled nine metric tonnes of contraband cheese and destroyed 60 metric tonnes of peaches and tomatoes, Associated Press reported.
The move has been met with protest, according to Reuters, with some people signing a petition urging the Kremlin to donate the food to the poor who have suffered from the country’s recession.
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The ban on Western food, along with the rouble’s sharp depreciation, has contributed to increases in consumer prices.
This comes on the same day that Russian President Vladimir Putin rubber-stamped a rule banning foreign condom imports.
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The ban came in the aftermath of Western sanctions against Russia for its role in the Ukraine crisis.
The ban, which was extended for a year last month, applies to Western agricultural products, including meat, vegetables, fruit and daily,