The European Commission adopted its 19th package of sanctions against Russia on Thursday over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The package includes a ban on imports of Russian liquefied natural gas, sanctions on Central Asian banks, Chinese refineries and Russia’s shadow fleet network.
Here are the details:
The measures include an import ban on short-term LNG contracts within six months from package adoption and long-term by January 1, 2027. Furthermore, the package lists 117 more vessels in Moscow’s "shadow fleet", bringing the total to 557, and also lists false flags registries on behalf of Aruba, Curacao and Sint-Maarten and Litasco Middle East.
There is a ban on reinsuring listed vessels and reinsurance for used Russian aircraft. The EU also tightens existing transaction bans on two major Russian state-owned oil producers: Rosneft and Gazpromneft.
Finally, the package lists two Chinese refineries and one trader: Liaoyang Petrochemical, Shandong Yulong Petrochemical and Chinaoil, which is the Hong Kong trading arm of PetroChina.
The EU has imposed a transaction ban on five more Russian banks and five banks in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
In addition, there is a transaction ban on the cryptocurrency A7A5 and two related Kyrgyz crypto firms Old Vector and Grinex. The sanctions also include restrictions on the Russian credit card system (MIR) and fast payments system (SBP).
Tighter export restrictions are in place with regard to dual-use goods on an additional 45 companies, of which 17 are in third countries such as China, Thailand and India.
The package includes bans on chemicals, metal components, salts and ores useful to Russia’s military.
There is also an access ban on high-tech EU services including geospatial information, AI and high-performance computing.
The package lists 11 new individuals for their role in the abduction, forced assimilation and indoctrination of Ukrainian children, which brings the total to 102 people and entities.
Furthermore, Russian diplomats will be obliged to inform in advance the relevant EU member state when travelling beyond their country of accreditation.
There is a ban on new investments in certain special economic zones in Russia relevant for the war effort, and this ban will extend to existing contracts for Alabuga and Technopolis Moscow.
Finally, the EU lists Ilya Sorokin, known as Dr. Evil, for allegedly torturing prisoners of war in a penal colony in Mordovia.
(Reporting by Julia Payne; Editing by Alex Richardson)
