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In all, 19 people and nine organizations made the list. The new sanctions extend mainly to Russian deputy ministers, parliamentarians and organizations, including separatist rebel and other paramilitary groups that the European Union believes have helped to fuel the war in Ukraine.

"They are not likely to have any economic impact, and are almost entirely political and symbolic in nature," said Fiona Hill, director and senior fellow at the Center on the United States and Europe at The Brookings Institution. She said the sanctions could in fact strengthen the resolve of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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"We are in an escalatory cycle with Russia, and the sanctions add to the spiral. They do not have a deterrent effect," Hill said. "They are a signal, however, that there will be no quick return to business as usual with Russia. We now have to decide what else we will and can actually do to stem the conflict in Ukraine and deal with Russia over the longer term."

Eurasia Group President Ian Bremmer said he expects the sanctions to have little impact on the fighting that continues to rage on in the region. Pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian troops exchanged fire on Tuesday around the town of Debaltseve, a major transportation hub.

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Russia sanctions called 'symbolic'