Montenegro's ministry of the interior announced on Friday that it had frozen 44 properties owned by 34 Russians, who fall under the EU sanctions.

The impounding of the properties is in line with the efforts of Montenegro to fully align its foreign policy with the European Union’s foreign and security affairs, according to the ministry’s press release.

Last Monday, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Bulgaria shut their airspace to the flight of the Belgrade-bound plane with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who should have visited Serbia on 6-7 June.

Montenegro’s foreign ministry recalled then that Podgorica does not allow the flights of Russian planes over its territory in accordance with the European Union’s common foreign and security policy, and that overflights are possible in strictly defined exceptions. The ministry also explained that the flight of the Belgrade-bound plane with Lavrov did not qualify for the exception.

On Thursday, Montenegrin Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic held a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to inform him of Montenegro’s support to Ukraine, its independence, territorial integrity as well as to Ukraine’s EU membership aspirations.