Switzerland Imposes New Sanctions on Russian Businessmen, Propagandists, Judges, Military

On 8 July, the Swiss Federal Department of Economics, Education and Research (EAER) expanded its sanctions lists against Russia. 

Reuters reports this with reference to an official statement by the Swiss government.

Switzerland thus joined the additional sanctions lists adopted by the EU. On 24 June, in response to Russia's ongoing military aggression against Ukraine, the EU adopted new measures against Russia as part of the 14th package of sanctions. 

In its turn, the EAER will impose sanctions on another 69 individuals and 86 legal entities within its jurisdiction.

The new sanctions are mainly aimed at businessmen, propagandists, members of the armed forces and judiciary, persons responsible for the deportation of Ukrainian children, and employees of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation. 

The new sanctioned entities include, inter alia, companies operating in the Russian defence sector, as well as companies in the financial and trade sectors that are actively involved in circumventing sanctions.

The 14th package of sanctions adopted by the EU on 24 June includes a number of additional measures, in particular in the energy, financial and commodity sectors. The Swiss Federal Council is currently studying these additional measures with a view to their possible adoption.

The EAER has also imposed an advertising ban on four media outlets - Voice of Europe, RIA Novosti, Izvestia and Rossiyskaya Gazeta. However, unlike the EU, Switzerland decided not to ban these propaganda outlets. 

"Although these channels are used to target Russian propaganda and disinformation, the Federal Council still believes that it is more effective to counter false and harmful statements with facts rather than to ban them," the statement said.