The European Union has published in its official journal the lists for its 21st sanctions package. It includes 48 individuals and 170 entities. In a press release, the Council of the EU described it as the largest expansion of the personal sanctions list in the past four years.
Those placed under restrictions include Russian Sports Minister and Olympic Committee head Mikhail Degtyarev, Vladimir Putin aide Vladimir Medinsky, Gazprom-Media chief executive and former Roskomnadzor head Alexander Zharov, International Chess Federation president Arkady Dvorkovich, ANO Dialog chief Vladimir Tabak, Russian Railways head Oleg Belozerov, and Safmar group founder Mikhail Gutseriev.
The justification for sanctions against Degtyarev says that he promised to assist in the rehabilitation of Russian servicemen through sport, called himself “Putin’s soldier,” and named the development of sports infrastructure in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine among his priorities.
The EU said the measures against Medinsky were based on its view that he is one of the key figures in state propaganda. The sanctions journal states that he helped author school textbooks presenting Ukraine as part of the “Russian world,” defended the “special military operation,” and denied Russia’s abduction of Ukrainian children.
The entities list is dominated by banks: 94 of the 170 organizations are financial institutions. They include Dom.RF, Ak Bars, Uralsib, MTS Bank, Tochka, Ozon Bank, Yandex Bank, Wildberries Bank, Post Bank, Rosselkhozbank and others.
Sanctions were also imposed on the Moscow Exchange. Several oil refineries were listed as well, including Kuibyshevsky, Novokuibyshevsky, Anzhersky and Severny Kuzbass.