The European Union is expanding its sanctions over the war in Ukraine, adding 48 people and nine groups to its sanctions list for being accused of supporting the Russian invasion. Among them is the nationalist motorcycle club “Nocnie Volki”, the “Night Wolves”.
The club is notorious for its anti-Western and anti-gay stance – and for supporting Vladimir Putin’s aggressive policies. Members of Night Wolves even fought alongside pro-Russian militias to conquer Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula in 2014. In 2019, Putin met the motorcyclists there to thank them for their efforts and to participate in a motorcycle parade.
The founder and chairman of the Night Wolves is Alexander Saldistanov. He is a friend and admirer of Putin and believes that Ukraine belongs to Russia. Years ago, he and his club were sanctioned by the US and Canada, and now the EU wants to follow suit.
New sanctions against Russia’s largest bank
Russia’s largest financial institution, Sberbank, and the head of the zinc and copper group UMMC, Andrei Kositsyn, must also be sanctioned for supporting the war against Ukraine. This is apparent from a draft document available to the Reuters news agency.
The move would have far-reaching implications for the bank: authorities would freeze the bank’s assets in the west and halt all transactions except payments for food and fertilizer deliveries, an EU insider said. The EU has already blocked Sberbank’s access to the international payment system SWIFT, limiting the Russian bank’s activities.
Numerous other people on the list
The planned sanctions against UMMC boss Kositsyn are justified by the fact that he works in a business park that generates large revenues for the government. Actors, politicians, the deputy head of a Russian security service, relatives of oligarchs already sanctioned and members of the armed forces must also be punished.
The EU wants to decide on the planned sanctions on Wednesday. If the proposals go through, the number of people sanctioned by the EU would increase to 1,229 and the number of companies sanctioned to 110.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
