EU imposes new sanctions on businessmen and firms backing Russia’s shadow fleet

The EU Council said the sanctions were imposed on businessmen directly or indirectly linked to Russia’s largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil.

According to the EU, these businessmen control vessels that transport crude oil or petroleum products from Russia, concealing the true origin of the cargo and using illegal and risky shipping practices.

The EU Council also imposed sanctions on shipping companies based in the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam and Russia that own or operate tankers belonging to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet.

The businessmen’s assets are to be frozen, and EU citizens and companies are banned from providing them with funds. They are also subject to travel bans, preventing entry into or transit through EU member states.

In addition, sanctions were imposed on 12 individuals and two entities linked to the aggressor state’s “hybrid activities” and cyberattacks against the EU and its partners. In particular, the sanctions list includes:

– the 142nd Separate Electronic Warfare Battalion, responsible for using technologies that disrupt GPS signals in EU member states;
– three officers of Russia’s GRU Unit 29155, responsible for sabotage operations in Europe, as well as members of the cyber group Cadet Blizzard, involved in cyberattacks against Ukraine, EU countries and NATO;
– five so-called experts from Russia’s Valdai Discussion Club, where Vladimir Putin speaks annually, including Valdai research director Fyodor Lukyanov, who has moderated panel discussions with Putin since 2017, the agency reported;
– French national Xavier Moreau and Swiss national Jacques Baud, who provide pro-Russian commentary to Kremlin propagandists;
– pro-Russian propagandist Diana Panchenko, a former NewsOne TV host holding Ukrainian and Russian passports.

The EU Council said sanctions now apply to more than 2,600 individuals and entities in response to Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine.

On Nov. 20, Bloomberg reported that the EU was considering additional sanctions against those enabling Russia’s use of a shadow tanker fleet.

On Nov. 30, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine had synchronized sanctions with the United States and imposed restrictions on Russia’s Rosneft and companies within the Lukoil group.

On Dec. 13, Zelenskyy signed a decree enacting a National Security and Defense Council decision to impose sanctions on 656 maritime vessels that are part of Russia’s shadow fleet.

Earlier, The Atlantic reported that Ukraine had attacked five shadow-fleet tankers carrying Russian oil in recent weeks.