EU adopts fresh sanctions against Russia over annexation of 4 Ukrainian territories

The European Union (EU) on Thursday (local time) adopted its latest package of sanctions against Russia over the illegal annexation of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions.
The EU adopted restrictive measures against an additional 30 individuals and 7 entities. Read the EU’s statement. “The Council decided today to impose restrictive measures on an additional 30 individuals and 7 entities in view of Russia’s escalating military aggression against Ukraine and other actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine,”
The Council decided to broaden the listing criteria on which specific designations can be based in order to include the possibility of targeting those who facilitate the circumvention of EU sanctions.
Facilitating infringements of the prohibition against circumvention of certain EU restrictive measures is likely to contribute to destabilising Ukraine or undermining its territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence,” added the statement.
The 7 sanctioned entities included defence companies providing weapons or fighter aircraft to the Russian Armed Forces; the Central Election Commission (CEC) of the Russian Federation, which is responsible for organising elections and referenda; and JSC Goznak, a Russian state-owned joint-stock company responsible for the manufacturing of security products.
“In direct response to the latest Russian escalation of its aggression against Ukraine and the blatant violation of the UN Charter, we are sanctioning additional individuals and entities that are supporting, facilitating or benefiting from Russia’s illegal actions. This includes those who organised these sham “referenda”, high-ranking officials in the Russian Ministry of Defence and prominent propaganda figures spreading disinformation.