Germany Calls New EU Sanctions an “Unprecedented” Blow to Russia

The European Union (EU) has adopted its largest-ever round of sanctions listings against Russia, targeting nearly 1,600 individuals and entities linked to the country’s military-industrial complex.

The European Union has approved its largest-ever round of sanctions listings against individuals and companies linked to Russia’s military-industrial complex.

The measures were approved on October 12, as EU foreign ministers met in Luxembourg, according to Deutsche Welle reporter Elizabeth Schumacher.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul described the measures as an “unprecedented sanctions blow” against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war effort in Ukraine.

“Europe is hitting Putin’s war economy with unprecedented sanctions,” Wadephul said in a statement issued Monday. He added that the measures would make it more difficult for Putin to continue Russia’s invasion and its campaign of attacks against Ukrainian civilians.

The EU Council said the latest sanctions listings cover 1,569 individuals and entities, including 826 Russian companies and 743 individuals serving as chief executive officers of those companies.

The targets are linked to the supply chains that support Russia’s military-industrial sector, including the production of missiles, drones and aircraft.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described the move as the bloc’s largest single expansion of its sanctions listings since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

She said more than half of the listings target the supply chain for ballistic missile production.

The measures are intended to make it more difficult, time-consuming and expensive for Russia to manufacture weapons used in attacks on Ukraine.

The EU also announced separate measures against individuals and groups accused of involvement in Russia’s State Duma elections in occupied Ukrainian territories, as well as measures targeting entities supporting North Korea’s weapons programs and evading United Nations sanctions.

The bloc said the latest action brings the total number of listings under its sanctions regime supporting Ukraine’s territorial integrity to nearly 4,600.