The EU on Monday extended sanctions against four alleged Russian intelligence agents the UK says are linked to the 2018 nerve agent attack against Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury, Britain. The move is part of an attempt to crack down on chemical weapons, the bloc says.

Foreign ministers from the 28 EU states voted to prolong by 12 months the chemical weapons sanctions regime which currently targets nine individuals including the four Russians and five Syrian officials.

The Council of the EU said in a statement it “extended restrictive measures by the EU addressing the use and proliferation of chemical weapons until 16 October 2020.”

This decision “contributes to the EU’s efforts to counter the proliferation and use of chemical weapons,” the statement said.