Banks, fleet, and media hit by restrictions: EU approves 16th sanctions package against Russia

This was announced on the European Council’s website.

As EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated, the latest sanctions target not only Russia’s shadow fleet but also those enabling its operations — oil tanker operators, drone manufacturers, banks skirting EU restrictions, and propaganda outlets spreading disinformation.

The European Council has approved a sweeping 83-point package, sanctioning 48 individuals and 35 entities responsible for actions that undermine Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence.

The Council has also introduced two new criteria for imposing sanctions: one targeting individuals and companies linked to Putin’s shadow fleet and another focused on those benefiting from or supporting Russia’s military-industrial complex.

Seventy-four vessels from third countries tied to Russia’s shadow fleet have been added to the blacklist, bringing the total to 153 sanctioned ships.

For the first time, the EU is banning transactions with non-Russian financial institutions that use the Russian central bank’s Structured Financial Messaging System (SFMS). The Council has also expanded restrictions on financial messaging services, cutting off 13 key regional banks from the EU’s financial system.

Additionally, 53 companies aiding Russia’s defense sector have been sanctioned — one-third of them are Russian, while the rest are based in China, India, Kazakhstan, Singapore, the UAE, and Uzbekistan. These firms were found to be helping Russia bypass trade restrictions or supplying key components for drones and missiles.

The EU has expanded its list of banned goods critical to Russia’s military development, adding chemical precursors, CNC machine software, chromium compounds, and UAV controllers. New restrictions have also been introduced on exports of chemicals, plastics, rubber, and imports of Russian aluminum.

Furthermore, the EU has suspended the broadcasting licenses of eight Russian media outlets directly controlled by the Kremlin, barring them from distributing content within the bloc. These include: EADaily / Eurasia Daily, Fondsk, Lenta, NewsFront, RuBaltic, SouthFront, The Strategic Culture Foundation, Krasnaya Zvezda / Tvzvezda.

The EU is also banning transactions with certain Russian ports and airports used for transferring drones, missiles, and restricted technology. Additionally, it is tightening measures against vessels involved in high-risk maritime transport to bypass oil price caps.

The existing ban on Russian-owned road transport across the EU has been reinforced. Companies where Russian individuals or entities own 25% or more are now barred from increasing their stake.

The sanctions package also tightens export restrictions on oil and gas exploration technology and extends the prohibition on supplying goods, services, or technology for Russia’s Vostok oil project.

Another key measure prohibits storing Russian oil and petroleum products in the EU — regardless of price or final destination.

Additionally, today’s package introduces new restrictions against Belarus, aligning trade sanctions with those imposed on Russia. These include limits on software, cryptocurrency wallets, financial deposits, and transport operations.

The Council has also adopted new criteria for sanctioning individuals and entities supporting Belarus’s military-industrial complex.

• On the same day, New Zealand announced fresh sanctions against Russia and pledged support for Ukraine’s reconstruction. Meanwhile, Australia unveiled its largest anti-Russian sanctions package since the start of the war.