EU Sanctions 12 Individuals, 2 Entities in Russia Over Disinformation, Cyber Activities
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, Brussels has broadened its sanctions regime against Moscow, targeting additional entities and individuals accused of destabilizing actions.
The Council of the European Union stated that the restrictive measures are in response to Russia’s persistent hybrid actions, including foreign information manipulation, interference (FIMI), and destructive cyber activities aimed at the EU, member states, and allied nations.
The sanctioned individuals include prominent foreign policy analysts affiliated with institutions, think tanks, and universities close to the Kremlin’s policy-making and messaging apparatus, as well as influential figures promoting pro-Russian propaganda and conspiracy theories regarding the invasion of Ukraine, anti-Ukrainian narratives, and anti-NATO rhetoric.
According to the EU Council, some of those sanctioned are former military or police officers from Western Europe. The EU also targeted Russian supporters allegedly reinforcing destabilizing narratives globally on behalf of Moscow, as well as the 142nd Electronic Warfare Battalion, based in Kaliningrad.
The 142nd Electronic Warfare Battalion is reportedly responsible for utilizing technology to disrupt short-wave communication systems, conducting electronic warfare exercises, and involvement in recent GPS signal failures experienced by several EU member states.
The EU statement further alleges that the sanctions list includes members of Russia’s military intelligence agency (GRU), Unit 29155, and the Cadet Blizzard cyber threat group. These entities are accused of participating in cyberattacks against government organizations in Ukraine, EU member states, and NATO allies to obtain sensitive information and destabilize their political situations.
With this recent decision, the restrictive measures related to Russia’s destabilizing activities now apply to a total of 59 individuals and 17 entities. The listed individuals face asset freezes, and EU citizens and companies are prohibited from making funds, financial assets, or economic resources available to them. Furthermore, the individuals are subject to travel bans, preventing them from entering or transiting through EU territories.
