EU approves 16th package of sanctions against Russia
Photo: Vladimir Putin (Getty Images)
On the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU Council adopted the 16th wide-ranging package of economic and individual sanctions against Russia. The package targets important sectors of the Russian economy, the European Council said.
“For three years now, Russia has relentlessly bombed Ukraine, attempting to steal land that isn’t theirs to take. This new round of sanctions not only targets the Russian shadow fleet but those who support the operation of unsafe oil tankers, videogame controllers used to pilot drones, banks used to circumvent our sanctions, and propaganda outlets used to spout lies,” says Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
Sanctions imposed
The European Council agreed on a substantial 83-point package of sanctions against 48 individuals and 35 organizations responsible for actions that undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Ukraine.
The Council also established two new criteria that will allow the EU to impose restrictive measures on individuals and legal entities that own or operate vessels of Putin's shadow fleet, as well as those who support or benefit from the Russian military-industrial complex.
Shadow fleet
The sanctions list includes 74 third-country vessels belonging to Putin's shadow fleet, which circumvent oil price restrictions, support the Russian energy sector, or transport military equipment and stolen Ukrainian grain. In total, 153 vessels are already under sanctions.
Finance and banking sector
For the first time, the EU imposed a ban on transactions with credit and financial institutions established outside Russia that use the Financial Messaging System (FMS) of the Central Bank of Russia.
In addition, the Council decided to disconnect 13 Russian banks from the SWIFT payment system.
Trade
The sanctions list includes 53 entities that support Russia's military-industrial complex. One-third of them are Russian, and the rest are located in China, India, Kazakhstan, Singapore, the UAE, and Uzbekistan and helped to circumvent trade restrictions or supplied components for UAVs and missiles.
The EU has expanded the list of banned goods that contribute to the development of the Russian defense industry. It added chemical precursors, software for CNC machines, chromium compounds, and UAV controllers. Additional restrictions have also been imposed on the export of chemicals, plastics, rubber, and imports of Russian aluminum.
Broadcasting
The EU broadcasting licenses of eight Russian media outlets that are under the constant control of the Russian leadership were suspended and banned from broadcasting their content.
EADaily/Eurasia Daily, Fondsk, Lenta, NewsFront, RuBaltic, SouthFront, Strategic Culture Foundation, and Krasnaya Zvezda/Tvzvezda among them.
These media outlets have played an important role in launching and supporting Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine, as well as in destabilizing neighboring countries, the EU, and its member states.
Ports
The EU prohibits any transactions with certain ports and airports in Russia that are used to transfer drones, missiles, and related technologies and components to Russia, or to circumvent oil price caps or other restrictive measures by vessels that engage in irregular and risky maritime transportation. This includes access to their facilities and the provision of any services to ships or aircraft.
Transportation
The Council has decided to extend the flight ban to include listed air carriers that operate domestic flights within Russia or export aircraft or other aviation goods and technology to Russian air carriers and companies controlled by them.
In addition, the EU strengthens the existing ban on the carriage of goods by road within the EU, including in transit, by EU operators that are 25% or more owned by Russian individuals or entities. The new provision prohibits any changes in the capital structure of road transport companies that may lead to an increase in the share owned by a Russian individual or legal entity above 25%.
Energy
The package of measures agreed today imposes further restrictions on the export of goods and technologies, in particular software related to oil and gas exploration, to further limit Russia's oil and gas exploration and production capacity. In addition, it extends the prohibition on the provision of goods, technology, and services for the completion of crude oil projects in Russia, such as the Vostok oil project, similar to the completion of liquefied natural gas projects currently underway in Russia.
The Council also prohibits the provision of services for the temporary storage of Russian oil and oil products in the EU, regardless of the purchase price of the oil and the final destination of these products.
Belarus
Today's package includes additional restrictive measures against Belarus that reflect trade sanctions agreed upon against the Russian Federation, as well as other measures such as restrictions on the sale or provision of services and software, deposits and cryptocurrency wallets, and transport.
In addition, the Council introduced a new criterion for inclusion in the list of persons, organizations, or bodies supporting or benefiting from the military-industrial complex of Belarus.
EU sanctions against Russia
At the end of last year, the EU adopted the 15th package of sanctions against Russia. This time, the new restrictions affected Russia's shadow fleet and energy sector and included 54 individuals and 30 organizations from Russia, China, and North Korea.
According to Politico, Budapest agreed to concessions at the last stage but put forward its conditions.
