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After Foreign Food Bans, Russia Dumps Ten Tons of Cheese in a Landfill

I guess you could say they’re really...cheesed off.
Rachel Pick
New York, US

Last year almost to the day, Russia banned food imports from the European Union and the United States. In 2015, the country is still cracking down, resulting in this tragic dumping of 10 tons of European cheese into a landfill, as reported by RT.

The import ban is part of the fallout from the Russian conflict in Ukraine that took place last summer. After Russia provided weapons and other means of support to pro-Russian rebels in the post-Soviet country, Western governments imposed economic sanctions to show their disapproval. Russia enacted this food ban in retaliation.

A Washington Post article published at the time of the ban explains: "Russia has suspended imports of meat, fish, fruit, vegetables and milk products from the United States, the 28-nation European Union, Norway, Canada and Australia for a year." Last month, Russia decided to extend the ban for another year.

This ban was a blow to various European food economies, but it also hits Russia's upper and middle classes hard. The country relies on imports for most of its food, and wealthy Muscovites have grown accustomed to delicacies from the West. So naturally, many shipments of goods are illegally smuggled in—like this massive shipment of dearly departed cheese. And when the goods are found, they're destroyed.

Whatever, Russia. More Gouda and Gruyère for me.