EU proposing to sanction Chinese technology firms for supporting Russia in its war on Ukraine – draft documents
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The European Union is proposing to sanction several Chinese technology firms for aiding Russia’s war against Ukraine, according to draft documents seen by the Guardian.
The EU is targeting seven companies from China and Hong Kong, as well as firms based in Russia, Serbia, Iran, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates, for “supporting Russia’s military industrial complex”.
Many of the companies are believed to be supplying dual-used goods, i.e. goods with a civilian and military purpose, such as electronics and aviation parts, which have been used by Russia to attack Ukraine.
The measures, which are still to be agreed by EU member states, would make up the EU’s 15th round of sanctions against Russia since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine was launched in 2022.
The EU also wants to ban dozens of vessels from docking at European ports, in a bid to clamp down on Russia’s shadow fleet, which is transporting oil around the world above the $60 price cap imposed by the G7 richer countries, providing a vital source of revenue for Moscow.
It has also proposed adding 54 people to its sanctions list, including military personnel responsible for the devastating missile attack on the Okhmatdyt children’s hospital in Kyiv in July that killed at least 44 people and injured many more.
Being on the EU’s sanctions list means any assets in the bloc are frozen, while individuals are also subject to a travel ban.
