The European Union approved the 12th package of sanctions against Russia

The Council of the European Union approved the 12th package of restrictive measures against Russia on December 18.

As previously predicted, the new sanctions package included a ban on the import (direct or indirect) of diamonds from Russia. This applies to raw materials of both Russian origin (in particular, those that were processed in third countries), and those exported from Russia or those that were transiting.

Judging by the papers that ended up in Radio Liberty’s possession, the lists of under-scanned persons have undergone changes.

About 140 more people and companies ended up on the blacklists – the long discussion of the package did not reduce them, but expanded them, because initially there were 20 points less.

Among the newly sanctioned persons is Dmitry Medvedev’s son Ilya, as well as Vladimir Putin’s relative Anna Tsivilyova, the wife of the governor of the Kemerovo region. From legal entities – TV channel of the Russian Orthodox Church “Spas” and Tsargorod”. Companies associated with the Russian military-industrial complex were also added.

The approval of the project was welcomed by the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

“We continue to support Ukraine despite everything. We are cracking down on circumvention of sanctions and introducing them against more goods, including diamonds,” she said.

The ban on Russian diamonds is part of the Group of Seven’s efforts to coordinate international sanctions against Russian diamonds. In order for the ban to be effective and deprive Russia of this source of income, the European Commission document says, “it is necessary to take measures together with simultaneous actions in other major diamond markets.”