Plus everyone: who was hit by the new EU sanctions
The new sanctions are not revolutionary in nature and have already become routine for Brussels, experts interviewed by Izvestiya say. On December 16, the EU authorities approved the 15th package of anti-Russian sanctions. It included 30 companies and 54 individuals. In addition, restrictions were imposed against dozens of third-country vessels, which, according to the EU, help Moscow to circumvent restrictions on Russian oil supplies. On the possible response of Moscow and the countries that suffer from the EU policy - in the material of "Izvestia".
The EU published the 15th package of anti-Russian sanctions
On the occasion of the meeting of EU foreign ministers, the European Council on December 16 approved the 15th package of anti-Russian sanctions. It includes restrictions against 30 companies and 54 individuals. As before, the sanctions were linked to Russia's actions in Ukraine. It is noteworthy that two "high-ranking officials from the DPRK" were also included in the list. The European Council statement also said that for the first time, the EU imposed "full-scale sanctions" on various Chinese entities supplying drone components and other microelectronic components.
As expected, along with defense companies, shipping companies - responsible for transporting Russian crude oil and petroleum products - were also hit by the sanctions. Thus, in an attempt to circumvent the sanctions, the EU expanded the list of vessels banned from entering ports and access to a number of services in the field of maritime transportation. The new restrictions affected 52 tankers from third countries. According to European officials, these vessels allow Russia to ignore the oil price ceiling previously agreed by the G7 countries, the EU and Australia. The EU claims that the individual vessels are allegedly involved in the transportation of military equipment for Russia and in the transportation of "stolen Ukrainian grain".
Restrictions have also affected 32 companies based in China, India, Iran, Serbia and the UAE, among others. The EU suspects them of "participating in the circumvention of trade restrictions" and purchasing dual-use goods for Russia.
The EU's official journal lists among the Russian companies hit by the sanctions the real estate developer PIK, which allegedly financed the recruitment of personnel for Russian military units, and the airline Utair, which provided "logistical support" to the Russian Defense Ministry. The list also included the heads of Gazprom LNG Technologies, Gazprom Fleet and Gazstroyprom and other high-ranking officials.
Also under the restrictions were a number of companies, which, according to the EU, are associated with the Russian military-industrial complex. Among them are the Stavropol radio plant Signal, the joint-stock company VNIIR-Progress, Uraldronzavod, Tulamashzavod, and the Izhevsk Unmanned Systems research and production association.
The new list of restrictions fits into what can be called a creeping escalation of sanctions, and the EU authorities are simply extending restrictions on the next major companies, Ivan Timofeev, director general of the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), explained to Izvestia.
- There is a gradual expansion of the lists of blocked persons, including Russia's partners in third countries. We see the expansion of export restrictions on certain companies from third countries, as well as the expansion of restrictions on oil tankers, which are considered part of the Russian shadow fleet. All this was predictable, and so far no revolutionary changes have been seen here," the expert noted.
Why Hungary approved the 15th package of restrictions against Russia
Recall that the previous, the 14th package of sanctions was adopted on June 24. It then included 69 people and 47 organizations, including such large Russian transport companies as Volga-Dnepr Group, Ural Airlines and airport holding Novaport, Sovcomflot. The previous package included restrictions on the transit of Russian liquefied natural gas through European ports, as well as on imports of Russian LNG through EU terminals not connected to the natural gas system.
It is possible that at the beginning of 2025, when the EU presidency passes from Hungary to Poland, the EU member states will also agree on the 16th list of anti-Russian measures. It may again include restrictions against Russian LNG and a ban on third countries from re-exporting a number of European goods to Russia.
By the way, Hungary, which opposes the EU sanctions policy against Russia, was able to achieve exclusion from the new list of restrictions against the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill, Russian Ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzi and the Russian Olympic Committee, said the head of the Hungarian Foreign Ministry Peter Szijjarto. According to him, Hungary did not veto the 15th package because it was possible to "weed out" the "craziest ideas" from it. In addition, Budapest was able to extend exemptions for the Hungarian oil and gas company MOL to export oil products from Russian raw materials. At the same time, the country vetoed the European Union's decision to allocate €6.5 billion for military aid to Ukraine. By the way, Croatia has also received permission to receive vacuum gas oil from Russia until the end of 2025, and the Czech Republic will be able to receive petroleum products produced from oil supplied from Russia via oil pipelines until June 5.
The new package of EU sanctions is "technical" and routine, says Alexander Rudoy, an expert of the International Cooperation Department of the State University of Management.
- Something has been added, something has been adjusted. In this way the EU is trying to make it even more difficult for Russian companies to operate in the international arena," he said.
The EU also adopted a separate sanctions list against 16 individuals and three organizations "responsible for destabilizing actions abroad." Among them were some "GRU officers," journalist Tina Kandelaki, political analyst Timofei Bordachev, and the African Initiative news agency.
Journalist Tina Kandelaki
Artem Kureyev, editor-in-chief of the African Initiative, who was dubbed an FSB officer in Brussels, told Izvestia that he and his colleagues view the sanctions as recognition of the effectiveness of their work.
- This is evidence that we are working well and effectively. That we are opening the eyes of people in Africa to what Europe is doing. But the sanctions themselves are absurd. To understand: the African Initiative is an editorial office, a separate subdivision of a company with a completely different name. They imposed sanctions against, let's say, a department of a certain firm. They call a completely public person an FSB officer. How can a professional officer of special services go on TV channels, give interviews, look for funding for his project. It's nonsense. It is enough just to know a little bit how the Russian security services are organized to understand how absurd such statements are," he emphasized.
The journalist is convinced that the sanctions will not hamper the work of the editorial office in any way. "We work in African countries that are friendly to us. In Africa, in principle, they don't care about European sanctions," he said.
The EU could not avoid show business stars. The previous package of sanctions included Polina Gagarina, Russian singer Yaroslav Dronov, performing under the pseudonym SHAMAN, and actor Ivan Okhlobystin. In the 15th list was the name of singer Larisa Dolina. Again for her support of the SVO and for giving concerts in Donbas.
Singer Larissa Dolina
"Larisa Alexandrovna will not comment on nonsense and nasty things. Not the level of the artist to pay attention to it. From myself I can say that <...> sanctions have been imposed for almost three years now against every resident of our country without exception. They will run out of ink and paper to write down everyone by name. Therefore, any additional personal restrictions or any lists... let them choke on these lists with their ink and their bad decisions," the director of the People's Artist Sergei Pudovkin told Izvestia.
The EU is trying to protect itself from Russian legislation
As part of the 15th package, the EU also took measures to "protect European companies from litigation with counterparties from Russia." In particular, the Council of the EU prohibited the recognition or enforcement on the territory of the Community of judgments rendered by the courts of the Russian Federation on the basis of Art. 248 of the Arbitration Procedure Code of the Russian Federation.
According to Ivan Timofeev, this is a pure formality, since the decisions of Russian arbitration courts are already universally ignored in EU countries. In other words, it is a question of extending an already accepted norm. In the 14th package of sanctions, the EU prohibited its members from entering into transactions with any Russian companies and organizations that filed a lawsuit against a European company in accordance with Article 248 of the APC. At the same time, EU companies were also given the right to challenge the decisions of Russian arbitration courts in the community courts.
The EU Council also introduced a rule allowing the unblocking of cash balances held by EU depositories. "This is necessary in light of the increased litigation and retaliatory measures by Russia that lead to the seizure of CSD assets in the EU," the EU said. As explained, thanks to this derogation, central banks will be able to ask the competent authorities of EU member states to unfreeze cash balances and use them to fulfill their legal obligations to clients.
According to Alexander Rudogo, in the EU, given the vagueness of the wording, this norm may have several purposes.
- First, it is a kind of threat to Russia to use the blocked assets and funds (mainly the reserves of the Bank of Russia) to mirror the decisions of Russian courts against companies leaving its market. Second, it may represent an opportunity for more "flexible" management of frozen Russian assets by central depositories of EU countries," he specified.
As for Moscow's response to the sanctions, the Kremlin has not yet commented on the new restrictions. Prior to that, Moscow has each time expanded the list of EU representatives banned from entering Russian territory. The last time it happened on June 24 after the publication of the 14th package of EU sanctions. In April, Russian President Vladimir Putin explained that it is not always beneficial for Russia to act according to the "talion principle," that is, a symmetrical response to sanctions. "It is necessary to look at what is favorable and unfavorable for us - in general," the Russian leader said at the time.
Russian President Vladimir Putin
As Alexander Rudoy noted, Russia's counter-sanctions consist both in complicating the departure of foreign companies and in using this departure in its own interests. "Judging by the new EU measures, Russia's actions here are quite successful," he concluded.
