EU imposes new sanctions on Russia

Moscow, Feb 23 (Online): The European Union has adopted its 13th package of sanctions against Russia, the European Council said in a press release on Friday.The measures targeting 106 individuals and 88 entities were introduced ahead of the second anniversary of the start of Russia’s military operation against Ukraine, the document noted.

The new sanctions primarily target the military and defense sectors, along with associated individuals, as well as members of the judiciary.The measures against the listed persons and entities include asset freezes and a travel ban. They also forbid EU citizens and companies from making funds available to them.

The new sanctions also restrict trade in dual-use goods as well as technologies and electronic components that could be used by Russia’s military and industrial complex. Components for the development and production of unmanned aerial vehicles have also been added to the list of restricted items. Some of the sanctioned entities are located in third countries, such as India, China, and Türkiye, the document adds.

According to the release, the United Kingdom was added to a list of partner countries applying a set of restrictive measures on imports of iron and steel from Russia, and a set of import control measures that are substantially equivalent to those of the EU.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has condemned the EU’s “fruitless” attempts to put pressure on Russia through “unilateral restrictive measures.”

In a statement, the ministry described the latest EU sanctions as illegal and said they undermined the international prerogatives of the UN Security Council.In response to the restrictions, Moscow said it had expanded the list of representatives of European institutions and EU member states who are banned from entering Russia. Unfriendly actions on the part of Western countries will receive a timely and adequate response, the ministry warned.

Brussels has imposed 13 rounds of restrictions on Russia since the start of the conflict in February 2022. The existing sanctions already target a broad range of sectors and include trade embargoes, travel bans, and individual sanctions against Russian businessmen and public officials.