European Union expands Russia sanctions with 1,646 new targets

The European Union has agreed to expand its sanctions against Russia by adding 1,646 new individuals and entities to its blacklist. This represents the largest single increase in the sanctions list since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine.

The new measures include 743 individuals and 826 entities accused of supporting Russia’s military operations. Additionally, 77 Russian parliament members who ran in elections within Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine are targeted. The sanctions involve travel bans, asset freezes, and prohibitions on providing financial resources to the listed parties.

This decision follows weeks of legal review and aims to demonstrate unity among EU member states following recent disputes regarding the removal of oligarchs Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman from previous lists. To compensate for these internal disagreements, the EU has also extended its existing sanctions regime against Russia for an additional three years. Once officially approved by foreign ministers in Luxembourg, the total number of sanctioned individuals and entities will reach approximately 4,650.