EU prolongs sanctions against Russian propagandists, including Medvedchuk and allies, by another year

03.10.2025 19:45

Ukrinform

The Council of the European Union has extended for one year the restrictive measures against individuals and organizations involved in Russia’s destabilizing activities abroad.

Ukrinform reports this with reference to the Council of the EU website.

“The Council today decided to prolong individual restrictive measures against those responsible for Russia’s destabilizing actions abroad by one year, until 9 October 2026, in light of Russia’s continued hybrid activities, including Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) against the EU and its member states and partners,” the statement reads.

Currently, sanctions related to Russia’s destabilizing activities apply to 47 individuals and 15 entities. Their assets are frozen, and EU citizens and legal entities are prohibited from providing them with funds, financial assets, or economic resources.

The listed individuals are also banned from entering or transiting through EU territory.

Among those sanctioned are oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk, a close associate of Vladimir Putin, as well as his allies Oleg Voloshyn and Artem Marchevskyi.

As reported by Ukrinform, on 8 October 2024, the EU Council imposed sanctions on individuals and entities involved in the actions and policies of the Russian government that undermine the EU’s fundamental values, security, stability, independence, and integrity, as well as against those engaged in hybrid activities targeting third countries and international organizations.

In May 2025, the EU expanded sanctions to include material assets linked to Russia’s destabilizing activities and their sponsors. In addition, the suspension of broadcasting licenses for Russian media outlets engaged in disinformation was authorized.

On 18 July 2025, the EU condemned Russia’s systematic hybrid campaigns against the European Union, its member states, and partners. The statement noted that in recent years, Russia had conducted cyberattacks, acts of sabotage, disruptions of critical infrastructure, physical attacks, information manipulation, and other covert actions and coercive measures. These activities have intensified since the start of the war against Ukraine.