The EU has put its new sanctions against Russia into effect. They came into effect on Saturday evening with their publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. Among other things, the EU is imposing punitive measures on 87 other people and 34 organizations that the EU believes are contributing in one way or another to the Russian war against Ukraine. Among them is Alfa-Bank, which is considered Russia’s largest privately owned financial institution.
Its most influential shareholders have been on the EU sanctions list since last year, including, for example, the bank’s founder, billionaire Mikhail Fridman. In addition, the punitive measures are intended to hit Tinkoff Bank and Rosbank.
Also included on the sanctions list were deputy ministers, Russian government officials, those responsible for the deportation and forced adoption of Ukrainian children, and new members of the Russian Federation Council. They are all no longer allowed to enter the EU and any assets in the EU will be frozen.
Overall, according to the Council of Member States, the EU has meanwhile 1473 persons and 205 organizations with the reason placed on the sanctions listthat they undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.
Among other sanctions regimes, the EU has now also imposed sanctions on eleven other members and seven institutions linked to the Russian mercenary group Wagner. Some of them are accused of serious human rights violations in the Central African Republic and in Sudan, others are said to endanger security or stability in Mali. Two people were sanctioned in connection with the Ukraine war. The sanctions package also includes new export restrictions worth more than 11 billion euros.
The permanent representatives of the EU countries met agreed on the new sanctions on Friday, the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It is the tenth package of sanctions since February last year.
