The new package of sanctions against Russia, the ninth since the aggression against Ukraine began, has already entered into force. It does so with a ban on the export of drones to Russia, but also to similar third countries, such as Iran. In addition, an exception is introduced to ensure the export and transport of fertilizers and wheat to ensure food security.
The indiscriminate attacks that are leaving the population without electricity or heating a few days before the start of winter, using the cold as another weapon in the war, led the European Commission to make a move. Within a week of its proposal, the countries adopted it and this Friday it entered into force.
However, the negotiations were more complicated than initially expected, due to an exemption requested by Spain together with countries such as France or Germany in which they requested guarantees that, indeed, the sanctions do not prevent the export of fertilizers or basic foods, such as the wheat.
Specifically, the unfreezing of funds to oligarchs or Russian companies sanctioned by the European Union, but which are necessary to transport food and fertilizers to third countries, was approved.
With the new round, the national authorities of each country will have to approve the unfreezing of funds or assets of individuals who have "an important role in international trade" before they were included in the list of sanctions. It can only be done with "the specific objective" that this release of assets is for the sale of wheat or fertilizers, community sources explain.
Although there are not many cases, the same sources admit, it is about avoiding that the European Union is somehow responsible for blocking the transport of food. Thus, if necessary, if a sanctioned Russian oligarch needs to pay an intermediary to transport food, his account can be unfrozen. Each national authority will decide how the unlocking will take place and how much.
Negotiations in recent days have been complicated by the fear of the Baltic countries to relax sanctions. . And, above all, that the message was to agree with Moscow in the difficult battle of narratives in which the Kremlin has targeted Europe for causing famine in the world. However, from the European Commission they reject that there is any sanction on fertilizers, "any country in the world can buy Moscow" the products, they defend. They ensure that the exemption adopted is to "guarantee" that there is no type of blockade that is used as an excuse.
Even so, last September, the European Commission already proposed a series of guidelines on the application of sanctions to prevent fertilizers, coal and some Russian products, although they cannot be imported into the European Union, from crossing Community territory to reach the rest world. Those previously approved had then been interpreted by international operators as a prohibition on the practice of being able to participate in the export of this type of product.
Likewise, a total of 190 individuals and entities are included in the sanctions list, including 42 members of the Duma and the Upper House, 12 ministers and governors and senior members of the Russian Armed Forces. In addition to the ban on exporting chemical products, nerve agents, radio-navigation equipment, electronic components. To avoid sanctions being circumvented, companies from the Crimean Peninsula have been added among the companies.
Russian banks are once again in the spotlight in the new package, with the introduction of three new entities, including a ban on any transaction with the Russian Regional Development Bank with the aim of "paralyzing liquidity at ATMs Putin's automatics”. In recent years, it has been part of the entities in which, through its guarantees, credits from the Central Bank of Russia can be granted. With these three banks, they are added to others, such as the almighty Sberbank, sanctioned last summer.
The Russian regime's propaganda services and channels will again be affected, adding four new channels to the list of media outlets that will lose their license to broadcast on European territory. Finally, the sanctions on mining are extended, in which investments in the sector will be prohibited, but with the exception of some raw materials.
