Ambassadors from EU member states to approve largest batch of Russia sanctions since 2022 – Reuters

Ambassadors to the EU from its member states are due to approve around 1,650 new individuals and entities under the EU's Russia sanctions regime on 7 October, most of whom are linked to Russia's military-industrial complex.

Source: European Pravda, citing Reuters

Details: EU diplomats told Reuters that the package, proposed by the European External Action Service (EEAS), will be the largest batch of individuals and entities added to the sanctions list since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Following approval by the ambassadors, the package will be forwarded to EU member states' foreign ministers on Monday 12 October for final adoption.

About 1,570 of the entries relate to legal entities and individuals linked to Russia's military-industrial complex, more than half of them involved in missile production.

The main EU regulation on sanctions against Russia currently contains just over 3,000 entities subject to EU travel bans, transaction restrictions and asset freezes.

The remaining new entities and individuals are also connected to Russia but fall under other legal frameworks, including several that are subject to EU restrictions on North Korea.

Background:

• On 16 September, the EEAS presented a proposal for a new sanctions package targeting Russia's military-industrial complex. The package covers 1,576 individuals and entities.
• On 22 September, the Council of the EU adopted a final decision to extend sanctions against individuals and entities responsible for undermining or threatening Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence for a further 36 months, but removed Russian oligarchs Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman from the list.

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