Council of the European Union: 12th Package of Sanctions on Russia's War of Aggression Against Ukraine – Additional 61 Individuals and 86 Entities Included in the EU's Sanctions List

BRUSSELS, Belgium, Dec. 19 -- The Council of the European Union issued the following news release on Dec. 18, 2023:

As part of the comprehensive twelfth package of sanctions adopted earlier today, the Council decided to impose restrictive measures on an additional 61 individuals and 86 entities responsible for actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.

Today's new listings target primarily the military and defence sectors. The Council is listing more than 40 companies taking part in the Russian military industrial complex, 7 Russian private military companies and one of their founders, 12 Belarusian individuals involved in the military support to Russia's war against Ukraine, and further Russian officials and Russian businesspersons in the defence sector.

Furthermore, restrictive measures will apply to important economic actors: AlfaStrakhovanie Group, one of the biggest insurance companies in Russia, Rosfinmonitoring, the Federal Service for Financial Monitoring, four telecom companies in the territories of Ukraine that Russia has temporarily occupied: LLC Mirtelecom, LLC SC Lyukstrans, JSC Krymtelecom, and JSC Beto and further Russian businesspersons.

Among the listed individuals and entities, there are also 14 members of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, and 2 members of regional commissions which have been responsible for organising illegal referenda in 2022 and the so-called illegal elections in September 2023 in the territories of Ukraine that Russia has temporarily occupied, along with those responsible for the military re-education of Ukrainian children, including the movement Volunteers of Victory, the Avangard Center and the Crimea Patriot Centre.

Lastly, listings will also cover the Russian IT sector, 2 entities and 2 individuals responsible for circumventing EU sanctions, as well as actors spreading disinformation and propaganda in support of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, including Tsargrad TV Channel, and Spas TV Channel, Russian propaganda media outlets.

The Council also extended the listing criteria so as to include individuals and entities responsible for the forced take-over of EU companies established in Russia, and those benefiting from it. Moreover, the Council set out the conditions for the possibility to maintain deceased persons on the list if it considers there is a likelihood that the assets concerned would otherwise be used to finance Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine or other actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.

Altogether, EU restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine now apply to almost 1 950 individuals and entities altogether. 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 entities, have been published in the Official Journal of the EU.

Background

In the European Council conclusions of 26-27 October 2023, the EU reiterated its resolute condemnation of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, which constitutes a manifest violation of the UN Charter and reaffirmed the EU's unwavering support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders and its inherent right of self-defence against the Russian aggression.

The European Union will continue to provide strong financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support to Ukraine and its people for as long as it takes.

* Council decision amending decision 2014/145/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine (including the list of sanctioned individuals and entities) (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L_202302871)

* Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine: EU adopts 12th package of economic and individual sanctions (press release 18 December 2023) (https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2023/12/18/russia-s-war-of-aggression-against-ukraine-eu-adopts-12th-package-of-economic-and-individual-sanctions/)

* European Council conclusions, 26 and 27 October 2023 (https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-14-2023-INIT/en/pdf)

* EU response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine (background information) (https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/eu-response-ukraine-invasion/)

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Original text here: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2023/12/18/12th-package-of-sanctions-on-russia-s-war-of-aggression-against-ukraine-additional-61-individuals-and-86-entities-included-in-the-eu-s-sanctions-list/