European Commission prepares new sanctions against Russia

The European Commission is preparing another package of sanctions in response to the actions of the Russian Federation related to its "shadow oil fleet". According to information from Bloomberg, this new package provides for a significant increase in pressure on Russian ships used to evade sanctions and restrictions imposed by the European Union and its allies.

The new sanctions list includes more than 60 individuals and entities, as well as about 150 ships, which could significantly expand the total list of sanctioned objects to more than 300 units.

Russia often uses old and uninsured ships of its "shadow fleet" to circumvent international sanctions, which causes a reaction from the EU and other international partners.

According to Reuters, the new measures also provide for increased control over the export of goods that can be used for Russian military purposes. In particular, more than 50 people, including five in China, could be subject to sanctions under this package.

In addition, sanctions will target 31 companies that provide support to the Russian military or participate in evading international restrictions. Of these, 13 companies have their bases outside Russia.

European Union foreign ministers are expected to formally approve the proposed measures at a meeting in Brussels scheduled for May 20. The adoption of these new sanctions will make them the 17th package of EU restrictive measures since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

According to media reports, the sanctions require the consent of all EU member states to be imposed, so the drafts may be subject to changes before final approval. Regular updates and revisions of the restrictive measures take place every six months, with the next review scheduled for July. Hungary expressed the possibility of blocking these decisions, but later changed its position.