European Union Approves New Sanctions on Russia Involving 1,600 Individuals and Entities

Brussels, October 12 (KUNA) -- The European Union announced on Monday the adoption of a new package of sanctions against Russia, adding approximately 1,600 individuals and entities to its sanctions list imposed due to Russia’s war on Ukraine, in a move aimed at intensifying pressure on Moscow and curbing its capacity to produce weapons used in the conflict.

In a statement posted on the social media platform X, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said that the foreign ministers of EU member states had approved the largest expansion of the sanctions list since the start of Russia’s war, emphasizing that “Europe is once again showing a united front in confronting Moscow.” Kallas added that more than half of the targeted individuals and entities are linked to the ballistic missile production chain, noting that “these measures will make Russia’s production of weapons used to kill Ukrainians more difficult, slower, and significantly more costly.”

According to a statement by the Council of the European Union, the new sanctions aim to weaken Russia’s military-industrial complex and limit its ability to obtain the components and technologies necessary for weapons production, as part of the EU’s ongoing efforts to pressure Moscow over the war on Ukraine.

The new sanctions package brings the total number of individuals and entities on the EU’s Russia-related sanctions list to approximately 3,500, including prominent Russian figures such as President Vladimir Putin.

This move comes as Ukraine and its European partners face growing challenges in maintaining economic pressure on Russia, amid criticism sparked by US President Donald Trump’s decision last week to lift sanctions on Russian diesel as part of an agreement to supply the United States with fuel shipments. (End) A.R.N. / S.M.A.