EU’s new Russia sanctions blacklist firms in India, China for first time

The European Union’s new raft of sanctions against Russia, unveiled in time for the second anniversary of the Ukraine invasion on 24 February, designates nearly 200 individuals and entities – including from China and India for the first time – as part of an effort to tighten ‘import-export controls and restrictions.’

The European Council formally announced it had passed the 13th package of sanctions against Russia on 23 February. The Council added 27 new entities to the list of those directly supporting Russia’s military and industrial complex, saying these ‘will be subject to tighter export restrictions concerning dual use goods and technologies, as well as goods and technology which might contribute to the technological enhancement of Russia’s defence and security sector.’

It said: ‘Some of these entities are located in third countries (India, Sri Lanka, China, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Thailand, and Türkiye) and have been involved in the circumvention of trade restrictions; others are Russian entities involved in the development, production and supply of electronic components for Russia’s military and industrial complex.’

News outlet Euronews reported, ‘The bloc had previously attempted to punish a handful of firms based in mainland China, but complaints from Beijing officials and reservations from some member states prevented the move. The ever-closer ties between Russia and China eventually pushed diplomats in Brussels to give the idea a second try.’

The Council said the latest sanctions also expand the list of restricted items related to the development and production of unmanned aerial vehicles (‘UAVs’) and introduce further restrictions on exports of goods ‘which contribute in particular to the enhancement of Russian industrial capabilities, such as electrical transformers.’

The raft of new measures also targets Russian-operated institutions that re-educate children forcibly taken from Ukraine.