European Union expands sanctions against Russian defense industry

The European Union has expanded its sanctions regime against the Russian military-industrial complex. The Council of the EU approved new restrictive measures targeting five individuals who hold high-ranking positions in companies involved in the development, production, or supply of military technology used in the war against Ukraine.

Key targets include Ramil Nailevich Badgutdinov, CEO of JSC Serpukhov Plant Metallist, which produces electromechanical components for Iskander-M ballistic missiles, and Aleksandr Yurevich Dyukarev, CEO of JSC Krasnoyarsk Machine-Building Plant, which is linked to the production of RS-28 Sarmat missile systems. Other sanctioned individuals are directors of firms specializing in military communication systems, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) software, and military space technologies.

The sanctions involve asset freezes and travel bans. These measures follow intensified Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure and come as EU diplomats reportedly prepare a significantly larger sanctions package containing between 1,600 and 2,000 individual entries to further tighten pressure on Moscow.