Tonnes of illegally-imported fresh produce from the West are being incinerated on the Russian border.

Moscow banned many Western food imports last year in retaliation for sanctions imposed by the United States, EU and their allies during the confrontation over Ukraine.

Russia destroys piles of banned Western food http://t.co/sQVQb26CHV pic.twitter.com/dUjOlBdv98— The New York Times (@nytimes) 7 Août 2015


The order to destroy the illegal imports was made in July.

Executive order on the procedure for destroying agricultural imports currently prohibited in Russia http://t.co/xRe0myz8e4— Government of Russia (@GovernmentRF) 31 Juillet 2015


Anti-poverty campaigners say the clampdown is a waste.

More than 285,000 people have signed an online petition urging President Putin to give the food away instead. Officials say they have taken note.

Russian authorities to take account of petition against destruction of sanctioned food http://t.co/Z8uItJuBKs— ITAR-TASS (@ITARTASSn