Report: Russian Web sites’ muting to cost Ukraine $1 bln, take 2 yrs

MOSCOW, May 17 (PRIME) -- A complete blocking of Russian Web sites will take Ukraine about two years and will cost the country U.S. $1 billion, Chairman of the Ukrainian Internet association Alexander Fediyenko told the 112 Ukraine television channel late on Tuesday.

“We’ll most likely block not the Web sites, but the whole autonomous system, where these sites reside, and other platforms, which were not listed in the sanctions. The user will be ultimately deprived not only of access to such networks as VKontakte, but also to other platforms that were in the system,” Fediyenko said.

The blocking, however, can be skirted over, he said.

Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko endorsed on Tuesday an expanded list of companies and individuals to face the sanctions against Russia, comprising 468 firms and 1,228 people. The measure came in force on Wednesday.

The blacklist contains Russian Internet giants Yandex and Mail.Ru Group, along with social networks VKontakte and Odnoklassniki, as well as antivirus software makers Kaspersky Lab and Dr.Web, and a number of mass media companies.

The prohibition period for some companies was extended to three years from one year and for individuals it lasts one year, three years, five years, and indefinitely.

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