REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BRUSSELS/MOSCOW - The European Union announced asset freezes and travel bans on 15 Russians and Ukrainians over Moscow's actions in Ukraine. However, the measures were seen as less aggressive than sanctions imposed this week by the United States.

The EU list published on Tuesday included senior Russian politicians but did not extend to companies, several of which were singled out by Washington when it extended its sanctions list on Monday.

Moscow immediately denounced the new EU measures, saying the Europeans were simply doing Washington's bidding and should be ashamed of themselves. A senior Russian politician said Moscow was working on measures to counter the new sanctions.

But while Russian stock markets rallied after the announcement of less stringent EU sanctions than were expected, there were increasing signs that the Ukraine crisis was having an effect on key parts of the Russian economy. Russian natural gas exporter Gazprom said further sanctions could disrupt gas sales to Europe and hit its business, while a Russian minister said US restrictions on high-tech exports to Russia would be a blow to Russian companies in the sector.

The International Monetary Fund said it was preparing to cut its forecasts for Russian growth for the second time in less than a month. US credit card firm Visa said it would suspend network services to two Russian banks sanctioned on Monday by the United States.

Those targeted by the EU included Russian deputy prime minister Dmitry Kozak, Ludmila Shvetsova, a deputy speaker of the lower house of parliament, Valery Gerasimov, chief of staff of Russia's armed forces, as well as separatist leaders in Ukraine.

But the list did not include the heads of Russian energy giants such as Rosneft's Igor Sechin, who had been included in the latest US sanction.

In Ukraine's eastern city of Luhansk, hundreds of pro-Russian separatists stormed the regional government headquarters, unopposed by police, and the Ukrainian government said it had information that they also planned to seize the local television center.

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