EU sanctions Russia for human rights violations and hybrid threats, incl Medvedchuk, Voloshyn

The European Union has imposed two more sanctions packages on Russia, one for human rights violations and the other for hybrid threats against the EU and international partners: Viktor Medvedchuk and Oleg Voloshyn were added to the lists of sanctions individuals.

The EU Council announced on Tuesday that in the sanctions package targeting hybrid threats from Russia, the EU added 21 more individuals and six entities to the list and introduced sectoral measures in response to destabilizing activities against the EU, its member states and international partners.

The Council also expanded the scope to allow the EU to target tangible assets linked to Russia's destabilizing activities, such as ships, aircraft, real estate and physical elements of digital and communication networks, as well as operations of credit institutions, financial institutions and entities providing services with crypto-assets that directly or indirectly contribute to Russia's destabilizing activities.

Furthermore, in view of Russia's systematic international campaign of media manipulation and distortion aimed at destabilising neighbouring countries and the EU, the Council will now have the possibility to suspend the broadcasting licenses of Russian media outlets controlled by the Russian leadership and to prohibit them from broadcasting their content in the EU.

"In accordance with the Charter of Fundamental Rights, the measures agreed today will not prevent the targeted media outlets and their staff from carrying out activities in the EU other than broadcasting, such as research and interviews," the EU said.

The Council added today that Viktor Medvedchuk, "a former Ukrainian politician and businessman who, through his associates Artem Marchevsky and Oleh Voloshyn, also included in the list today, controlled Ukrainian media outlets and used them to disseminate pro-Russian propaganda in Ukraine and beyond."

"Through the secret financing of the Voice of Europe media channel, also included in the list today, and his political platform Other Ukraine, Medvedchuk promoted policies and actions aimed at undermining the legitimacy and trust in the Government of Ukraine, directly supporting the foreign policy interests of the Russian Federation and spreading pro-Russian propaganda," the report details.

In addition, two fishing companies, Norebo JSC and Murman Sea Food, were added to the list, which are part of a Russian-funded surveillance campaign and have carried out espionage missions and sabotage of critical infrastructure, including undersea cables. The report also lists other names and entities that the EU has imposed sanctions on.

In another package of sanctions related to Russia's human rights abuses, the Council imposed restrictive measures against 28 individuals responsible for serious human rights violations, repression of the democratic opposition and activities that seriously undermine the rule of law in Russia. "The new lists concern representatives of the Russian judiciary: judges, prosecutors, representatives of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation and regional courts, as well as members of the Investigative Committee involved in fabricating cases against various activists," the press release says.

The EU clarified that many of the individuals included in the list today played a role in the persecution of the late opposition politician Alexei Navalny, as well as in conducting politically motivated trials against Navalny's lawyers and the technical director of the YouTube channel "Navalny LIVE."

Other individuals were involved in the sentencing of activists Alexei Gorinov, Igor Baryshnikov and Olga Smirnova, as well as bloggers Ioan Kurmoyarov and Sergey Drugov, who disseminated information about the actions of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in Ukraine and anti-war messages.

"The assets of those found guilty today are frozen, and EU citizens and companies are prohibited from providing them with funds. Individuals are also subject to a ban on entry into or transit through EU territory," the EU said.