Brussels, 8 October 2023 (dpa/MIA) - EU countries plan to hit Russia with new sanctions in response to hostile activities like cyberattacks with a new legal framework for the punitive measures announced on Tuesday.

The new system for the punitive measures is in response to what EU countries said was the continued campaign of Russian hybrid activities to destabilize the European Union's security.

This campaign "has recently increased through new operations on European soil" the statement from EU countries continued. The new sanctions regime will also cover Russian actions in non-EU countries that undermine democratic electoral processes.

Other Russian hybrid threats that could trigger new EU sanctions were coordinated disinformation campaigns, herding migrants to overwhelm the bloc's borders, as well as arson and sabotage.

The EU can impose an assets freeze on targeted organizations and persons as well as impose a ban on targets from travelling to the bloc.

EU citizens and companies will be banned from doing business with targeted organizations and persons. An EU diplomat said that the first targets under the new system are still being selected.

EU sanctions require unanimity and are often blocked by Hungary, an opponent of the bloc's continued support for Ukraine and viewed as having close relations to Russia.

A number of incidents of reported Russian sabotage took place over the summer. In July, an alleged Russian plot to assassinate the head of German arms maker Rheinmetall was foiled.

German security authorities also warned in August of "unconventional incendiary devices" being sent via freight service providers where parcels across Europe caught fire while in transit.

MIA file photo