were significantly expanded since

[EngLearner]

The Council today renewed for a further 6 months its restrictive measures in view of the Russian Federation's continuing actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine, until 31 July 2024. These sanctions, first introduced in 2014 in response to Russia's actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine, were significantly expanded since February 2022 in response to Russia’s unprovoked, unjustified and illegal military aggression against Ukraine.

I found the above text on this website. I wonder if "have been" would work here in place of the bolded "were." I'm asking because most of the time I see the present perfect used when there's the word "since."

 

[5jj]

No.

... have been significantly expanded since February 2022 in response to Russia’s unprovoked, unjustified and illegal military aggression against Ukraine.
... were significantly expanded with effect from February 2022 ...
... have been significantly expanded since since 2014 ...

 

[EngLearner]

... were significantly expanded with effect from February 2022 ...

I see you've replaced "since" with "with effect from."

Is that the interpretation of what the word "since" means in the text, or do you mean that the use of "since" is incorrect with the simple past "were"?

 

[5jj]

Since is incorrect with a future date here.