European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Twitter, “We now have the most severe sanctions ever, draining Russia’s military arsenal and ravaging its economy,” adding that the bloc is increasing pressure on those trying to circumvent EU sanctions.
And the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, warned that the bloc will continue to impose more sanctions on Moscow.
“We will continue to increase pressure on Russia, and we will do so for as long as it takes, until Ukraine is freed from Russian aggression,” he said in a statement, which he described as “brutal.”
Borrell added that the latest sanctions target the banking sector and Moscow’s access to technology that can be used for both peaceful and military purposes and advanced technologies.
The package adds to the list of prohibited exports electronic components used in Russian weapons systems on the battlefield, including drones, missiles and helicopters, as well as electronic integrated circuits and thermal cameras.
wide penalties
It also imposes stricter restrictions on 96 other entities, due to “the support of the Russian army and industrial complex, including for the first time seven Iranian entities that manufacture military drones that Moscow is said to be using.”
Additional restrictions were imposed on imports of goods that generate significant revenue for Russia, such as asphalt and synthetic rubber.
The European Union has separately imposed sanctions on 11 individuals and seven entities linked to the “Wagner” group, whose members are fighting in Ukraine.
Borrell said that Wagner’s activities endanger international peace and security because it does not operate within any legal framework.
Among those blacklisted are two leaders of this group who participated in the takeover of the Ukrainian town of Solidar, last month, and Wagner’s chief in Mali, according to a statement from the European Union.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal urged the European Union to continue increasing the costs to Russia of military operations.
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