The European Union has approved the 20th package of sanctions against Russia, which has become one of the toughest in recent times. The new restrictions cover energy, the financial sector, the military industry, cryptocurrencies, trade, and Kremlin propaganda resources. This is stated on the website of the EU Council, UNN reports.
Blow to Russia's oil revenues
One of the key areas of the new package was energy. The EU imposed sanctions against dozens of companies in the Russian oil sector - from extraction to transportation and refining.
Also, 46 more vessels of the so-called shadow fleet, which is used to circumvent oil sanctions, fell under the new restrictions. In total, 632 vessels are already under sanctions. They are prohibited from accessing EU ports and receiving maritime services.
Separately, sanctions were introduced against the ports of Murmansk and Tuapse, as well as the Karimun oil terminal in Indonesia, which was used to circumvent the price cap on Russian oil.
At the same time, an important nuance of the new package is that a complete ban on maritime transportation of Russian oil and petroleum products has not yet been introduced. The EU has only created a legal basis for such a decision. The final introduction of the ban has been postponed until additional consultations with the G7 countries and the price cap coalition states. Brussels notes that the decision will come into force later, after a separate agreement.
Banks, cryptocurrencies, and financial isolation
The European Union has also significantly increased pressure on Russia's financial system. Another 20 Russian banks have been sanctioned. Thus, 70 Russian banks already have serious restrictions on access to the EU market.
Separately, sanctions were introduced against financial structures in Kyrgyzstan, Laos, and Azerbaijan, which helped circumvent European restrictions.
In addition, the EU has banned transactions with Russian crypto platforms, RUBx cryptocurrency, and the digital ruble, which Moscow is developing as a tool to circumvent sanctions.
Blow to the Russian defense industry
The new package also affected Russia's military-industrial complex. Sanctions were introduced against 58 companies and individuals involved in the production of drones, equipment, and military components.
Companies from China, the UAE, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus, which supplied dual-use goods to Russia or assisted its defense industry, also fell under the restrictions.
New trade bans
The EU has expanded the list of goods prohibited for export to Russia. This includes industrial equipment, lubricants, laboratory glass, tractors, rubber products, and other goods that can be used in military production.
At the same time, new restrictions were introduced on the import of metals, minerals, chemicals, and other raw materials from Russia.
Propaganda, abducted children, and Belarus
Sanctions also targeted individuals involved in the abduction of Ukrainian children, the looting of Ukraine's cultural heritage, and Russian propagandists.
The EU has intensified the fight against Kremlin media - mirror sites and clones of banned resources such as Russia Today and Sputnik will be blocked.
A separate block concerns Belarus. New sanctions in the areas of trade, finance, and the military industry have been introduced for the Lukashenka regime.
Brussels emphasized that the Russian war economy is already under pressure, and the new package should further weaken the Kremlin and force it to agree to serious negotiations on ending the war.