BRUSSELS — The European Union on Thursday unleashed its 19th package of sanctions against Russia, taking unprecedented aim at Moscow’s lucrative energy sector by banning liquefied natural gas imports and targeting third-country entities in China, the United Arab Emirates, and Central Asia for helping the Kremlin finance its war in Ukraine.
The sweeping measures include sanctions on Chinese oil refineries, a UAE-based shipping operator, and banks in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. The package also cracks down on Russia’s use of cryptocurrency and restricts the movement of Russian diplomats within the EU.
The sanctions target dozens of individuals and entities and are a direct response to what the EU called “Russia’s escalating aggression against Ukraine, in particular the recent brutal military campaign deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure.”
“It is becoming increasingly difficult for Putin to finance his war. Every euro we deny Russia is one it cannot spend on war,” said Kaja Kallas, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. “The 19th package will not be the last.”
In a significant move against Moscow’s energy revenues, the EU will ban imports of Russian LNG, starting within six months for short-term contracts and by January 2027 for long-term deals. To enforce this, the bloc sanctioned two Chinese refineries and an oil trader identified as significant buyers of Russian crude.
The sanctions also hit Russia’s “shadow fleet” of tankers used to circumvent oil price caps. Litasco Middle East DMCC, a prominent Dubai-based enabler for the Russian oil company Lukoil, was listed among the sanctioned entities.
The financial crackdown extends to the digital realm, targeting the Russian-backed stablecoin A7A5. The EU sanctioned its developer, its Kyrgyz issuer, and a trading platform. Additionally, eight banks and oil traders in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, the UAE, and Hong Kong were hit with a transaction ban for helping Moscow bypass previous sanctions. Four banks in Belarus and Kazakhstan were also sanctioned for their ties to Russian financial systems.
The EU’s military and trade restrictions now extend to companies outside Russia. Twelve entities in China, three in India, and two in Thailand were added to a list of firms subject to tighter export restrictions on dual-use goods and advanced technology. The sanctions also target operators from the UAE and China accused of supplying military goods to Russia and a senior military commander from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) deployed to Russia.
The package also tightens measures against Belarus for its support of Russia’s war effort, mirroring many of the trade and financial restrictions imposed on Moscow.
