The European Union on May 20 approved the 17th package of sanctions against Russia, targeting nearly 200 ships of its shadow fleet. The restrictions also apply to people and organizations involved in the destabilization of the situation in Europe, repression in Russia, and the use of chemical weapons in Ukraine. For the first time, the list includes not only people and companies, but also assets — ships, aircraft, real estate, and digital services. Viktor Medvedchuk is also under sanctions — along with his platform “Drugaya Ukraina”.
Babel publishes a full list.
The European Union has imposed new sanctions on 21 people and 6 organizations for Russiaʼs destabilizing actions abroad. For the first time, the EU has expanded the scope of sanctions, now targeting not only people and companies, but also assets. The sanctions also allow for the suspension of licenses and blocking of broadcasts of pro-Kremlin media outlets that are destabilizing the situation in EU countries.
Who is under sanctions?
- Viktor Medvedchuk — a former Ukrainian politician and businessman who spread pro-Russian propaganda through the media and the platform "Drugaya Ukraina", which was also restricted.
- Artem Marchevsky and Oleg Voloshyn — Medvedchukʼs associates, controlled the media to spread Kremlin narratives.
- Voice of Europe — a media outlet that promoted pro-Russian narratives and was financed through Medvedchukʼs structures.
- Olena Kolbasnikova, Yulia Prokhorova, Rostyslav Teslyuk, Andriy Kharkivskyi — involved in destabilization in EU countries.
- Alik Khuchbarov and Ilya Bocharov are the GRU officers who undermined the political situation in Estonia.
- Thomas Reper (Germany) — a blogger who spread pro-Russian messages.
- Alina Lipp (Russia) — a pro-Russian blogger who spread disinformation.
- Viktor Lukovenko — head the "African Initiative", which spreads disinformation in Africa.
- Justin Blaise Taguch and Mikhail Prudnikov — responsible for anti-Western propaganda in Africa.
- Sylvain Afua — the founder of an organization banned in France that spread hate speech.
- AFA Medya — a Turkish media company that spread Kremlin disinformation. Its founder Huseyin Dogru is now under restrictions.
- The Main Radio Frequency Center (MRFC) and its head Ruslan Nesterenko — responsible for the disruption of GPS in the Baltic countries.
- Stark Industries — a web hosting company that supported information attacks, cyber operations, and destabilization. Yuriy and Ivan Nekulit, who are associated with it, were also added to the sanctions lists. They supported destructive activities in the digital space.
- Fishing companies Norebo JSC and Murman Sea Food — were used for espionage and sabotage of infrastructure facilities (for example, damaging underwater cables).
The European Union has also imposed sanctions on three Russian entities linked to the development and use of chemical weapons. The decision follows reports from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) that confirmed Russiaʼs use of chemical agents, including CS gas, on the front line in Ukraine, in violation of an international convention. In total, the EU list for the use of chemical weapons now includes 25 people and 6 entities.
The European Union has imposed sanctions against 28 Russian citizens involved in human rights violations, repression of the opposition, and undermining the rule of law.
The following were sanctioned:
- The Radiological, Chemical and Biological Protection Troops of the Russian Federation — a unit of the Armed Forces involved in the use of chemical weapons;
- 27th Scientific Center of the Russian Ministry of Defense — participates in the development of chemicals;
- 33 Central Research and Testing Institute of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation — also involved in the creation of chemical weapons;
- judges, prosecutors, representatives of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation and regional courts — they made politically motivated decisions, in particular in the cases of Alexei Navalny and his associates;
- members of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation fabricated cases against activists, lawyers, and media workers;
- people involved in the persecution of the late oppositionist Alexei Navalny, his brother, lawyers and technical director of the Navalny LIVE channel, activists Alexei Gorinov, Igor Baryshnikov, Olga Smirnova, bloggers Ioan Kurmoyarov and Sergey Drugov.
All those subject to sanctions have their assets in the EU frozen, are prohibited from receiving money or other resources from EU citizens and companies, and are also prohibited from entering the EU.
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