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6h ago

EU Unveils New Sanctions Targeting Shadow‑Fleet Backers, Cyber and Disinformation Actors

The action seeks to cut oil cashflows sustaining Russia’s war.

The Kremlin wall and Saint Basil's Cathedral in warm sunset hues, surrounded by a snow-covered Red Square with soft lighting and faint orange skies in the background.
From right, Slovenia's Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon, Sweden's Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard, Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno and Portugal's Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel speak during a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas rings a bell to signify the start of a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)
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Overview

  • EU ministers listed five individuals and four entities accused of enabling Russia’s oil shadow fleet, imposing asset freezes, business bans for EU persons, and travel prohibitions after legal acts were published in the Official Journal.
  • Those named include traders Murtaza Lakhani and Valery Kildiyarov, plus Anar Madatli, Talat Safarov and Etibar Eyyub, with targeted firms based in the UAE, Vietnam and Russia: Nova Shipmanagement, Citrine Marine, Hung Phat Maritime Trading and SeverTransBunker.
  • The Council separately sanctioned twelve individuals and two entities for hybrid activities such as foreign information manipulation and cyberattacks, including GRU unit 29155, the cyber group Cadet Blizzard, the 142nd Separate Electronic Warfare Battalion and the International Russophile Movement.
  • EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc will add about 40 more shadow‑fleet vessels on a rolling basis and emphasized that sanctions relief for Russia is not under discussion.
  • Ukraine moved in parallel by sanctioning 656 vessels identified as part of the shadow fleet, while recent reports of attacks on sanctioned tankers off Türkiye drew diplomatic concern that remains unresolved.