The new restrictions will hit 168 companies and state organizations, all of which are directly or indirectly linked to the Russian arms industry.
Ukrainian flag – artistic interpretation. Image credit: HalasSwiatel via Pixabay, free license
New – and already ninth – round of economic sanctions was announced by The European Union this Thursday and formally adopted on Friday.
The latest round of sanctions is directed at Russia’s military industry, and also at groups of people and individuals that are attacking Ukrainian civilians, especially children.
They also expand the export ban on products in the aviation and space industry sectors, including aircraft parts and their engines, for manned and unmanned planes. This means that sanctions ban direct exports of drone engines and parts to Russia.
“This will ensure that key chemicals, nerve agents, night-vision and radio-navigation equipment, electronics and IT components that could be used by the Russian war machine cannot be freely traded,” said the European Council.
New sanctions will also freeze the assets of two additional Russian banks, while one bank will receive a full transaction ban.
Broadcasting licenses will be suspended for four additional media channels due to their propaganda-related and otherwise harmful activities: NTV/NTV Mir, Rossiya 1, REN TV and Pervyi Kanal.
Full details of specific measures included in the ninth package will be revealed once sanctions are published officially.