Vladimir Putin Orders Imported Western Foods To Be Burned

Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, has ordered authorities to destroy all Western foods brought into the country — which were banned last year following a dispute between Putin and the West over his actions in the Ukraine.

Despite the ban, foods imported from the United States and European Union have continually managed to show up in Russia, to the disappointment of the country's farmers and food producers.

Putin has responded by ordering officials to destroy all remaining imports. The destruction will be supervised by two government officials and documented on video and in photos. 

Some items, like meats and cheeses, will reportedly be burned in incinerators, and police will be on the lookout for smuggled goods on market shelves.

The import ban, which was originally scheduled to last a year, has already been extended until at least August 2016.

The ban has hurt both importers, like EU farmers who were told to destroy crops in order to keep prices stable, and Russian citizens, who have seen domestic food prices soar.