The EU Council expanded sanctions against Russia for destabilizing actions in Europe and Ukraine
The EU Council made a decision to introduce new sanctions against nine individuals and six legal entities related to Russia’s destabilizing activities in Europe and Ukraine, including through manipulation and interference with foreign information (FIMI).
The federal state enterprise “Vserossiyskaya televsionnaya i radioveschatelnaya set” (VDTRK), as well as its general director and the head of the department responsible for coordinating the communication infrastructure in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, were included in the list of those subject to sanctions.
“Under the leadership of the relevant ministry of the Russian Federation, VDTRK plays a key role in effectively replacing established Ukrainian broadcasting systems in the occupied regions with a network that broadcasts content approved by the Russian government with the aim of suppressing dissent, bringing the local population into line with Russian policies and delegitimizing Ukrainian power in the occupied territories.” – informed the EU Council.
The sanctions also covered the 841st separate electronic warfare center and two of its officers responsible for operations in the Kaliningrad region. The center’s activities, in particular the jamming and falsification of GNSS signals, lead to failures in the navigation systems of several European states, primarily the Baltic states, and also create obstacles for civil aviation.
The BRICS Association of Journalists, the Fund for Combating Injustice, and the Center for Geopolitical Expertise were also included in the list of those subject to sanctions. The first two organizations were created by Yevgeny Prigozhin and participated in psychological information operations (FIMI) against France and Ukraine, including a campaign that blamed the French military for abducting children in Niger after the 2023 coup.
The Center for Geopolitical Expertise, founded by ideologue Alexander Dugin, carries out disinformation campaigns against Ukraine, slanders Western politicians and tries to influence election processes in Western countries. The sanctions list also included a GRU officer, several propagandists, as well as Yevgeny Shevchenko and his company Tigerweb, which distributed pro-Russian content directed, in particular, against France.
In addition, the Council of the EU introduced sanctions against Natalie Yamb, a popular pro-Russian blogger who promotes the Kremlin’s rhetoric to the West, particularly in France, with the aim of reducing their influence in Africa. Yamb has close ties to AFRIC, an entity linked to the Russian PMCs, and is responsible for information interventions in favor of Russia.
Today, EU restrictive measures aimed at countering Russia’s destabilizing activities cover 47 individuals and 15 legal entities. Their assets are frozen, they are prohibited from providing funds or economic resources, as well as entry into EU countries and transit through their territory.
