The European Union is poised to announce new sanctions that are expected to impact more than 35 entities across Iran, China, the United Arab Emirates, Armenia, and Uzbekistan. The move centers on alleged support from these actors for Russia’s military-industrial sector, as outlined in internal European Commission documents reviewed by Bloomberg.
Officials indicate the measures will also affect around 70 individuals whose specific nationalities and names have not been disclosed publicly. The list appears to target people tied to the networks involved in facilitating or enabling the alleged military cooperation, with the aim of tightening economic and political pressure on Moscow’s defense supply chains.
In addition, the materials suggest that IT firms within the Russian Federation that work in collaboration with the FSB, along with several Russian media outlets including RT Balkan, could face restrictions. These potential actions would extend sanctions into information technology and media spheres, broadening the impact beyond traditional trade controls.
Bloomberg previously reported that certain Russian oil shipments may be routed to evade existing sanctions by ship-to-ship transfers. The plan, if implemented, could lead to a ban on entering EU ports for vessels involved in such transfers. The documents obtained by the outlet reportedly provide evidence of these practices and hint at stricter enforcement in European waters.
As described in the documents, key transit routes are concentrated along maritime corridors near the Greek coast, with Ceuta and Kalamata highlighted as notable points in the movement of sanctioned oil products. The implications of these routes are likely to affect global energy markets and supply chains, prompting responses from policymakers and industry observers alike.