Politico has revealed details of the EU's new package of anti-Russian sanctions

The new package of anti-Russian sanctions imposed by the European Union (EU) will not include a complete ban on imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia. This was reported by Politico on January 29, citing EU diplomats.

According to the sources of the publication, the European Commission (EC) will present a new package of anti-Russian sanctions on Wednesday, January 29.

It is noted that the new restrictions will affect only the terminals for receiving the resource, which are not connected to the common gas distribution system of the European Union. Thus, the next package of sanctions will not affect the bulk of Russian LNG imports, the publication says.

It is expected that sanctions will be imposed on oil-exporting tankers allegedly operating as part of Russia's "shadow" fleet.

"According to three diplomats, the new proposal would help limit aluminum exports. The EU still receives about 6% of its aluminum imports from Russia," the publication added.

In addition, the package of restrictions will target Xbox gaming equipment.

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The EU's plans to impose restrictions on Russian aluminum and LNG exports as part of new measures against Russia were reported on January 15. After, on January 19, Glenn Diesen, a professor at the University of Southeast Norway, said that a possible EU ban on imports of Russian LNG aluminum is equal to economic suicide.

On January 27, EU diplomatic chief Kaja Kallas officially confirmed the agreement to extend anti-Russian sanctions for six months. In turn, Hungarian Foreign Affairs and External Economic Relations Minister Peter Szijjarto said that Budapest had received the required energy security guarantees from the European Commission, without which it would not agree to extend the sanctions against Russia.

The next day, January 28, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that there were no innovations in the EU's decision to extend anti-Russian sanctions for six months. He also called the sanctions against Russia illegal.

On the same day, Duma deputy, first deputy chairman of the Defense Committee Alexei Zhuravlev said that by banning the import of game consoles into Russia, EU diplomacy chief Kaya Kallas is clearing the field of delivery of goods to Russia for her husband's transport company. He also drew attention to the fact that game consoles are not military items and it will not be possible to control UAVs with them.

Western countries have increased sanctions pressure on Russia after the start of the special operation to protect civilians in Donbass, which was announced on February 24, 2022.