“The country joins the fifteenth package of EU sanctions”, — write: www.radiosvoboda.org
It is indicated that from December 24, the country joins the fifteenth package of EU sanctions, expanding the list of restrictions under its jurisdiction.
“According to the latest lists, 54 individuals and 30 companies and organizations have been sanctioned, which include the freezing of assets and the ban on the provision of funds, economic resources or technical services. New authorized persons, who are mainly military personnel, senior management of companies in the energy sector, as well as persons responsible for the deportation of children or the spread of propaganda and disinformation, are also subject to a ban on entry and transit through Switzerland,” the post states.
The 30 new companies and organizations that have come under sanctions are mainly Russian defense contractors and shipping companies that transport Russian oil and oil products.
“In addition, 52 vessels were prohibited from providing comprehensive services. These are mostly tankers that are part of the shadow Russian fleet and bypass price restrictions on Russian oil and oil products, or transport military goods for Russia or stolen grain from Ukraine. In the commercial sector, another 32 business entities came under increased export control,” the government explained.
Switzerland also adopted individual financial sanctions that the EU imposed against Belarus as part of the sanctions regime against the country due to the situation there. The measures concern 26 individuals and two organizations from Belarus, which have been sanctioned in the form of asset freezes and a ban on the provision of funds, economic resources or technical services.
New sanctioned persons – mostly members of the judiciary, such as judges responsible for suppressing civil society and democratic opposition or for managing penitentiaries where political prisoners are abused – are additionally subject to travel restrictions.
On December 16, the Council of the EU adopted the 15th package of economic and individual restrictive measures “in order to further limit Russia’s ability to wage an illegal, unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine.”
The administration of US President Joe Biden is also considering new sanctions targeting the “shadow fleet” that Russia uses to transport oil, the report said. According to Bloomberg sources, the White House may announce these measures in the coming weeks
Russia uses old tankers – often uninsured and with unclear ownership – to export crude oil and petroleum products abroad, despite EU and G7 sanctions. This activity also raises concerns about the risk of environmental disasters, including major oil spills. As part of the Russian Federation’s systematic efforts to circumvent the EU, the “shadow fleet” provides a key financial basis for Russia in its war against Ukraine.