MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Anti-Russia sanctions and countermeasures introduced by Moscow resulted in the loss of 397,000 jobs and 17.6 billion euros (approximately $18.6 billion) in the European Union in 2015, Austrian media reported Thursday.
Germany, Russia's largest trade partner in Europe, lost 97,000 jobs, Poland faced a 78,000-job loss, whereas Austria, with its loss of 7,000 jobs, was relatively mildly affected, Der Standard newspaper reported, citing a paper by the Austrian Institute of Economic Research.
Germany also reportedly suffered the biggest financial loss estimated at 6.05 billion euros, with France coming in second with a 1.6-billion-euro loss.
Since 2014, relations between Russia and the European Union deteriorated amid the crisis in Ukraine. Brussels, Washington and their allies have introduced several rounds of anti-Russia sanctions since Crimea became part of Russia in 2014 and over Moscow's alleged involvement in the Ukrainian conflict.
Russia has repeatedly refuted the allegations of involvement, warning that the Western sanctions are counterproductive and undermine global stability.
