EU adds Russian Inter RAO and Moldova's Cuciurgan power plant to sanctions list

The European Union adopted its 21st sanctions package against Russia, targeting the cryptocurrency network A7 and its owner Ilan Șor, as well as the Russian energy firm Inter RAO. Inter RAO, which controls the Cuciurgan (MGRES) power plant in the Transnistrian region of Moldova, was placed on the list alongside new designations linked to A7’s connections in Africa. The EU also expanded its ban on 14 crypto‑trading platforms in third‑country jurisdictions and introduced a tool to prohibit crypto services used by Russia for sanction evasion. Moldova announced it will cease purchasing electricity from MGRES in 2024 and plans to activate a new Isaccea–Vulcănești–Chișinău transmission line that bypasses the plant. The sanction package now covers 218 entities, 250 individuals and over 660 companies.