EU nations have greenlit a new wave of sanctions against Russia amid its ongoing military invasion of Ukraine. This marks the 16th sanctions package, set to take effect on February 24, 2025, coinciding with the third anniversary of Russia’s all-out war against Ukraine, according to Poland, the current holder of the EU Council presidency.

This latest round introduces more stringent measures: 13 additional Russian banks are set to be cut off from the SWIFT system. Furthermore, eight Russian media companies will lose their licenses to operate within the EU. The package also includes a broad ban on importing Russian aluminum and aluminum alloys, coupled with a prohibition on exporting devices that could be utilized to operate combat drones, such as gaming consoles.

The EU is also set to intensify its crackdown on Russia's so-called "shadow fleet," comprised of tankers transporting oil from Russia circumventing international sanctions or allegedly involved in illicitly exporting Ukrainian grain. Some observers suggest that these "shadow" tankers are implicated in acts of sabotage against crucial communication infrastructures within the EU, notably recent cable disruptions on the Baltic Sea floor.

New sanctions specifically establish penalties for captains and owners of such vessels, barring them from entering the EU and freezing their assets within the bloc. Poland describes these deterrent measures as crucial. Previously, shadow tanker captains evaded punishment by anchoring in international waters, dpa explains.

Last year, in efforts to curb Russia's shadow fleet, EU nations prohibited 80 vessels from entering their ports, extending similar restrictions to external companies offering services to these ships. With the enactment of the 16th sanctions package, another 73 tankers will join this restricted list.

Additionally, transactions with 11 ports and airports in Russia, identified as complicit in circumventing the "price cap" on Russian oil, will be prohibited.

  War in Ukraine, EU, Sanctions

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