The member countries of the European Union (EU) approved this Wednesday, February 21, a thirteenth package of sanctions against Russia related to the war it launched against Ukraine nearly two years ago. The new measures target around 200 entities and individuals, accused of helping Moscow acquire weapons or participating in the kidnapping of Ukrainian children.
First modification:
3 min
These are the largest single sanctions for Russia's war against Ukraine. The measures also include Chinese companies.
In total, 193 names, including people and entities, will join the list of those sanctioned in this thirteenth package of penalties, according to diplomatic sources on Wednesday, February 21, ahead of the second anniversary of Moscow's invasion of its neighboring country, on the 24th. of February.
“EU ambassadors have just agreed in principle on a thirteenth package of sanctions in the framework of Russia's aggression against Ukraine,” said the Government of Belgium, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU.
All are accused of acquiring weapons or participating in the kidnapping of Ukrainian children
The Ukrainian government claims that Russian authorities have forcibly transferred more than 4,000 children from Ukraine to the power so far in the conflict, and the International Criminal Court (ICC) has accused officials, including President Vladimir Putin, of holding children. Ukrainians, which he described as a war crime.
Moscow, for its part, denies having committed a crime and claims that it has taken in minors from the war zone to protect them.
“We must continue to degrade Putin's war machine”
Brussels noted that the package will be subject to a written procedure and It will be formally approved on Saturday, February 24when the second anniversary of the biggest war on European soil in decades marks.
Likewise, diplomatic sources assured that the new sanctions will further improve trade restrictions against entities linked to the Kremlin's military industry. In this sense, additional prohibitions were adopted on exports to Russia of highly technical components for the production of drones.
The identities of the individuals and entities targeted by the new sanctions will be revealed when the sanctions are published in the EU legal journal.
“I welcome the agreement on our thirteenth package of sanctions against Russia (…) We must continue to degrade Putin's war machine. With 2,000 sanctioned in total, we keep the pressure on the Kremlin high. We are also further cutting Russia's access to drones,” stressed the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
The 27-nation bloc has imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow since President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops into Ukraine.
The measures so far have targeted the energy sector, banks, the world's largest diamond mining company, businesses and markets, and have subjected Russian officials to asset freezes and travel bans.
With Reuters, AP and EFE
#approves #sanctions #Russia #ahead #anniversary #invasion #Ukraine