Council adds 1 person and 1 entity to EU sanctions list

The Council introduced additional restrictive measures against one person and one entity responsible for actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.

The new listings target the company PJSC Alrosa and its  CEO Pavel Alekseevich Marinychev. PJSC Alrosa is the largest diamond-mining company in the world, owned by the Russian state and accounts for over 90% of all Russian diamond production, and the company constitutes an important part of an economic sector that is providing substantial revenue to the government of the Russian Federation.

These designations complement the import ban of Russian diamonds included as part of the 12th package of economic and individual sanctions adopted on 18 December 2023 in view of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.

The ban on Russian diamonds is part of a G7 effort to develop an internationally coordinated diamond ban that aims at depriving Russia of this important revenue source.

Altogether, EU restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine now apply to almost 1 950 individuals and entities altogether. Those designated are subject to an asset freeze and EU citizens and companies are forbidden from making funds available to them. Natural persons are additionally subject to a travel ban, which prevents them from entering or transiting through EU territories.

The relevant legal acts, including the names of the listed individual and entity, have been published in the Official Journal of the EU.

Background

In its conclusions of 14-15 December 2023, the European Council reiterated its resolute condemnation of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which constitutes a manifest violation of the UN Charter, and reaffirmed the EU’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders and its inherent right of self-defence against the Russian aggression.

The European Council confirmed the EU’s unwavering commitment to continue to support Ukraine and its people for as long as it takes, and welcomed the adoption of the 12th package of sanctions.