The European Union has removed three Russian businessmen from its sanctions list: Grigory Berezkin, head of the ESN group, Alexander Shulgin, former head of Ozon, and Farhad Akhmedov, co-owner of Northgas.
The EU indicated that sanctions would not be extended for these individuals, though their identities were not immediately disclosed. On September 14, their names appeared in the official journal of the European Union, confirming the deletion of records related to Farkhad Akhmedov, Grigory Berezkin, and Alexander Shulgin.
Who was removed from the sanctions list?
• Farhad Akhmedov – co-owner of Northgas, investor, former senator from the Krasnodar Territory and the Nenets Autonomous Okrug. He is ranked 99th on Forbes with a net worth around $1.1 billion;
• Grigory Berezkin – owner and chairman of the ESN group, involved in oil, electricity, and media. Forbes places him around 157nd, with a net worth near $750 million;
• Alexander Shulgin – former CEO of Ozon.
Shulgin created a precedent
The exact reasons for lifting sanctions against these Russians remain unclear. It is known that Shulgin achieved relief through a European court ruling, a landmark decision processed on September 6. He became the first Russian businessman to have sanctions partially lifted in court, a move previously reserved for relatives of entrepreneurs.
Shulgin challenged the EU Council’s assessment that he qualified as an influential businessman. The ruling cited his meeting with President Vladimir Putin on February 24, 2022, alongside other oligarchs, as a factor in discussions about Western sanctions. The European Court of General Jurisdiction partially upheld the claim, validating the proposition that the restrictions could be lifted in his case, while still allowing continued restrictions in other aspects.
Shulgin’s lawyers argued that the EU Council’s approach violated legal protections, highlighting potential inconsistencies in the Council’s claims and issues of proportionality and equal treatment during the proceedings.
Before a court decision
Reports from Bild indicated that more than 60 Russian and Belarusian entrepreneurs and companies chose to pursue similar judicial routes after Shulgin’s case, including Berezkin and Akhmedov. A lawyer from ACQUIS, William Julier, stated to Forbes that the suspension of sanctions may be tied to the EU Council’s expectations about a forthcoming ruling on Akhmedov’s case. Julier noted that the Council’s legal service reportedly viewed the case as highly uncertain with a substantial risk of losing in court, similar to Shulgin’s situation.
In March 2023, media outlets claimed an audio recording surfaced showing Akhmedov discussing with a music producer. The conversation touched on sensitive topics about the Northern Military District and Russia’s leadership. Akhmedov denied being part of the President’s inner circle, while Prigozhin did not comment on the recording’s authenticity.
Responses from officials
In commenting on the sanctions decisions, the Kremlin spokesperson indicated that the approach to sanctions and their removal is not straightforward. The spokesperson criticized what it called attempts by some entrepreneurs to shift away from Russia in exchange for favorable treatment, describing such moves as traitorous. He also protected entrepreneurs who pursue legal challenges to defend their interests in court as a legitimate right, provided they adhere to the law.
The question of why Colonel Georgy Shuvaev was removed from the sanctions list remains unresolved. Reports suggest he led the missile forces of the Western Military District’s First Guards Tank Army and saw combat in Ukraine from early 2022. He passed away in October 2022 while still in service; his case was included in the EU sanctions list posthumously in 2023.
On September 13, the European Union extended individual sanctions against Russian citizens and entities, refining measures for roughly 1,800 listed individuals and organizations until March 15, 2024. The EU continues to describe these entities as responsible for undermining or threatening Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence, while reassessing individual cases as circumstances evolve.