Russia starts pouring Western food in wasteland defying public outrage

Russian officials destroyed on 7 August 2015 tonnes of cheese, fruit and vegetables, defying public outrage to begin a controversial drive to destroy Western food smuggled into Russia.

Russian president Vladimir Putin had signed a decree in the previous week ordering the trashing of all food - from gourmet cheeses to fruit and vegetables - that breached a year-old embargo on Western imports imposed in retaliation for sanctions over the Ukraine crisis.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Russia to extend ban on Western food imports until early 2016 http://www.europeansources.info/record/russia-to-extend-ban-on-western-food-imports-until-early-2016/

ESO: Background information: Safety net measures for dairy, fruit and vegetables to be extended http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-safety-net-measures-for-dairy-fruit-and-vegetables-to-be-extended/

Sputnik International, 06.08.15: Bread and Butter of Russian Food Embargo: What, When, Why and for How Long? http://sputniknews.com/business/20150806/1025453345.html

The Independent, 06.08.15: Russia flattens 10 tonnes of cheese in crackdown on imported Western food http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russia-has-just-flattened-10-tonnes-of-cheese-10443704.html

The Moscow Times, 05.08.15: Russia Starts Destroying Confiscated Food Before New Law Comes Into Force http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/russia-starts-destroying-confiscated-food-before-new-law-comes-into-force/527055.html

The Wall Street Journal, 06.08.15: Russia Bulldozes Cheese to Mark Sanctions Anniversary http://www.wsj.com/articles/russia-marks-sanctions-anniversary-by-destroying-western-food-1438854776

The Moscow Times, 04.08.15: Russians Come Up With Alternative Uses for Confiscated Food Items http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/russians-come-up-with-alternative-uses-for-confiscated-food-items/526996.html

The New York Times, 06.08.15: Russia Destroys Piles of Banned Western Food http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/07/world/europe/russia-destroys-piles-of-banned-western-food.html

The Moscow Times, 06.08.15: Russians Show Frustration as Decree to Destroy Banned Food Comes Into Force http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/russians-show-frustration-as-decree-to-destroy-banned-food-comes-into-force/527081.html

BBC News, 06.08.15: Russia destroys tonnes of foreign food imports http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-33814362

Euro|Topics: Main Focus, 10.08.15: Moscow destroys food imports from the West http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/archiv_dossier/DOSSIER167828-Moscow-destroys-food-imports-from-the-West

EurActiv, 07.08.15: Brussels extends aid to farmers hard hit by Russian ban http://www.euractiv.com/sections/agriculture-food/brussels-extends-aid-farmers-hard-hit-russian-ban-316828

EurActiv, 12.08.15: After Western food, now Putin burns Dutch flowers http://www.euractiv.com/sections/europes-east/putin-makes-dutch-flowers-go-smoke-316842

EUObserver, 14.08.15: Russia hits EU allies with symbolic food ban https://euobserver.com/foreign/129885

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