EU Adopts Largest 16th Package of Sanctions Against Russia: Shadow Oil Fleet, Banks, Cryptocurrencies, Drone Operations, and Media

 EU foreign ministers have adopted the 16th package of sanctions against Russia over its aggression against Ukraine.

This was reported by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, on the X network. 

‘The EU is achieving results: foreign ministers have adopted the 16th package of sanctions against Russia. It targets everything from the shadow fleet to game consoles used to control drones.  We now have the most intense sanctions ever, weakening Russia's war effort,’ Kaja Kallas wrote.

This new round of sanctions targets not only Russia's shadowy fleet, but also those who keep dangerous oil tankers running, video game controllers used to fly drones, banks used to circumvent sanctions, and propaganda outlets used to spread lies, said Kaja Kallas, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

‘There is no doubt who the aggressor is, who should pay and be held accountable for this war. Each package of sanctions deprives the Kremlin of the means to wage war. As negotiations to end Russia's aggression continue, we must put Ukraine in the strongest possible position. Sanctions provide leverage,’ Kallas said.

She also stressed that any peace agreement in Ukraine will not work without the EU and Ukraine being involved. In this context, the EU's top diplomat said that tomorrow she is travelling to the United States to meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other officials to ‘discuss these and other issues, because it is extremely important’. Callas is confident that ‘it is important that we remain united’ when other European leaders meet with the US side as well.

In addition, Callas believes that elections should not be held during the ongoing war in Ukraine.

She told reporters about this on the eve of the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on 24 February.

In total, the EU Council today agreed on individual sanctions against 48 individuals and 35 organisations responsible for actions that undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.

Will impose sanctions on 74 new shadow fleet vessels. This brings the total number of vessels subject to sanctions to 153.

‘This measure is aimed at non-EU tankers that are part of Putin's shadow fleet, which bypasses the oil price cap mechanism, supports Russia's energy sector, or vessels responsible for transporting military equipment for Russia or stolen Ukrainian grain,’ the explanation reads.

13 banks will be disconnected from SWIFT;

53 new entities are added to the list of those who directly support Russia's military-industrial complex in its aggressive war against Ukraine.

They will be subject to stricter export restrictions on dual-use goods and technologies, as well as goods and technologies that can contribute to the technological improvement of the Russian defence and security sector.

‘One third of these enterprises are Russian, while others are located in third countries (China, including Hong Kong, India, Kazakhstan, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan) and have been involved in circumventing trade restrictions or have been involved in the procurement of sensitive goods needed, for example, for unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles used for Russian military operations,’ the explanation says.

Suspend the broadcasting licences of 8 Russian media outlets in the EU;

ban the import of primary aluminium;

a number of ports and airports will be banned from transactions that circumvent oil price restrictions and other sanctions.

‘The EU prohibits any transaction with certain listed ports, gateways and airports in Russia that are used for the transfer of UAVs, missiles and related technologies and components to Russia, or for the circumvention of the oil price cap or other restrictive measures by vessels engaged in irregular and risky shipping. This includes access to their facilities and the provision of any services to ships and aircraft,’ the EU Council said in a release on its website.

The new package of sanctions also imposes additional restrictions on the export of goods and technology, including software related to oil and gas exploration, in order to further limit Russia's exploration and production capacity. In addition, it extends the ban to the provision of goods, technology and services for the completion of crude oil projects in Russia, such as the Vostok oil project, similar to the completion of LNG projects currently in operation.

The European Council also bans the temporary storage of Russian crude oil and petroleum products in the EU, regardless of the purchase price of the oil and the final destination of these products.

Today's package also includes further restrictive measures against Belarus, mirroring the trade-related sanctions agreed against the Russian Federation, as well as other measures such as restrictions on the sale or provision of services and software, deposits and wallets of crypto assets, and transport.