EU imposes restrictive measures on 160 more Russians

The Council of EU decided to impose restrictive measures on additional 160 Russians, including oligarchs, businesspeople, and members of the Russian Federation Council.

“The Council decided today to impose restrictive measures on an additional 160 individuals in respect of the ongoing unjustified and unprovoked Russian military aggression against Ukraine and of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine,” reads the statement released on the website of the Council of the European Union.

The listed individuals and entity include 14 oligarchs and prominent businesspeople involved in key economic sectors providing a substantial source of revenue to the Russian Federation – notably in the metallurgical, agriculture, pharmaceutical, telecom and digital industries – as well as their family members. Today's decision complements the listings of oligarchs involved in the oil, gas, banking, media and transport sectors, decided by the Council on 23 and 28 February 2022.

Moreover, sanctions are imposed on 146 members of the Russian Federation Council, who ratified the government decisions of the ‘Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance between the Russian Federation and the Donetsk People's Republic’ and the ‘Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance between the Russian Federation and the Luhansk People’s Republic’.

Altogether, EU restrictive measures now apply to a total of 862 individuals and 53 entities. Those designated are subject to an asset freeze and EU citizens and companies are forbidden from making funds available to them. Natural persons are additionally subject to a travel ban, which prevents them from entering or transiting through EU territories.

The relevant legal acts, including the names of the listed individuals and entity, have been published in the Official Journal of the EU.

It is underscored that the European Union condemns in the strongest possible terms the Russian Federation’s unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against Ukraine, as well as the involvement of Belarus in this aggression.

“The European Union demands that Russia immediately ceases its military actions, unconditionally withdraws all forces and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine and fully respects Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence within its internationally recognised borders. The European Council calls on Russia and Russia-backed armed formations to respect international humanitarian law and stop their systematic information manipulation, including disinformation campaigns and cyber-attacks,” reads the statement.

On February 24, president Putin announced the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops are shelling and destroying key infrastructure, massively hitting residential areas of Ukrainian towns and villages using artillery, multiple-launch rocket system, and ballistic missiles.

Martial law was imposed in Ukraine and general mobilization was announced.

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