The European Union has approved its 20th sanctions package against Russia, targeting more than 120 individuals and entities, including oil companies, refineries, ports, tankers, banks, crypto platforms and a number of public figures, according to the announcement of the EU Council.

As followed by IntelliNews, the EU voted on April 22 to simultaneously unlock its long-delayed €90bn EU loan for Ukraine and adopt the stalled twentieth sanctions package against Russia.

This diplomatic double act had been blocked for months by Hungary and Slovakia, both of which finally stood aside once the first Russian oil began flowing again through the repaired Druzhba pipeline.

Shipping, oil and ports

The EU expanded the sanctions on Russia’s largest oil producers, adding a regional subsidiary of Rosneft in the Bashkiria Republic, Bashneft (BANE), to the sanction list, along with Slavneft, several subsidiaries of sanctioned Lukoil (LKOH) and Belorussian Oil Company. 

The latest sanctions also explicitly target downstream and refining assets. Blacklisted facilities include the Tuapse, Ryazan, Angarsk, Achinsk, Komsomolsk, Afipsky and Usinsk refineries. Several Lukoil and Rosneft refining units were also named, including Lukoil Nizhnevolzhskneft, Lukoil Ukhtaneftepererabotka, Lukoil Volgogradneftepererabotka, Lukoil Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez and Lukoil Permnefteorgsintez. 

Rosnefteflot, a shipping company linked to oil transport, was also sanctioned. Transportation and servicing assets of Russian natural gas majors were also sanctioned, notably Gazprom Flot, Gazstroyprom, Gazprom LNG Technologies, and Gazpromneft Marine Bunker. Among the mining assets, Mangazeya Mining was blacklisted by the EU.

An additional 46 vessels of the so-called “shadow fleet” of oil and gas tankers are now subject to an EU port access ban and a ban on a broad range of maritime-related services, bringing the total number of designated vessels to 632. 

The EU said the measures target non-EU tankers involved in circumventing the oil price cap, supporting Russia’s energy sector, transporting military equipment for Russia or carrying stolen Ukrainian grain.

The package also introduces mandatory due diligence checks for tanker sales, allegedly making it harder for Russia to expand its shadow fleet through secondary acquisitions. Brussels further banned maintenance and other services for Russian liquefied natural gas, LNG, tankers and icebreakers.

From January 2027, it will also become illegal to provide LNG terminal services to Russian entities or entities owned or controlled by Russian nationals or operators. This measure is designed to increase medium-term pressure on Russia’s gas export logistics and Arctic shipping support infrastructure.

The EU also banned transactions with the Russian ports of Murmansk and Tuapse, as well as with the oil terminal of Karimun port in Indonesia. According to the Commission, these locations have been used to circumvent the oil price cap.

Financial services and banking

The package imposes a transaction ban on 20 Russian banks, including Russia’s Postal Bank, UBRIR, Avangard Bank, Metallinvestbank and BCS Bank.

In addition, four financial institutions in third countries were hit with transaction bans for allegedly helping circumvent EU sanctions or for links to Russia’s System for Transfer of Financial Messages, SPFS, the domestic alternative to international banking messaging systems.

The new measures also prohibit netting transactions with Russian agents, a step intended to block structures used to reduce visible payment flows and offset obligations outside traditional banking rails.

Crypto assets and the digital ruble

The EU reiterated earlier claims that Russia has become increasingly reliant on cryptocurrencies for international transactions because of sweeping sanctions on its financial sector. In response, the EU designated a Kyrgyz entity operating an exchange where significant volumes of the government-backed stablecoin A7A5 are traded.

The bloc also introduced a total sectoral ban on providers and platforms established in Russia that allow the transfer or exchange of crypto assets. This marks one of the broadest EU crackdowns yet on Russian-linked digital asset infrastructure.

Transactions involving RUBx were also banned. RUBx is another crypto instrument identified by the EU in the new package. In parallel, all EU support for the development of the digital ruble has been prohibited.

Russia’s military industrial complex

The 20th package further constrains Russia’s military industrial complex through sanctions on 58 companies and associated individuals involved in the development or production of military goods, including drones.

Among the sanctioned entities is the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, MIPT. The EU said MIPT was designated because of programmes in unmanned technologies and state-funded drone-related research that support Russia’s defence industrial complex.

The EU also moved against Russia’s procurement networks in third countries. It designated 16 entities based in China, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Belarus that allegedly supplied dual-use goods or weapons systems to Russia’s defence sector.

A further 60 entities became subject to tighter export restrictions on goods that could enhance Russia’s defence and technological capabilities. Some of these entities are also located outside Russia, including in China, Hong Kong, Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates.

Trade restrictions and anti-circumvention tools

For the first time, the EU activated its anti-circumvention tool by prohibiting exports of computer numerical control, CNC, machines and radios to Kyrgyzstan, citing a high risk that these goods would be re-exported to Russia. The decision followed analysis of trade data showing a significant surge in onward shipments of priority items through Kyrgyzstan.

The EU also expanded its export ban to cover laboratory glassware, certain high-performance lubricants and additives, energetic materials, chemicals, rubber, articles made of vulcanised rubber, steel goods, tools for metal production and industrial tractors. The Commission said these newly restricted exports are worth more than €360mn.

On the import side, the bloc introduced additional restrictions on products that generate significant revenue for Russia, including certain raw materials, metals, minerals, steel scrap and other metal scrap, chemicals, rubber goods and tanned fur skins. These imports were valued by the EU at more than €570mn.

Belarus measures

The package also expands sanctions on Belarus for its role in enabling Russia’s war effort in the full-scale military invasion of Ukraine. Three new listings were introduced, linked to the Belarusian military industrial complex and the Lukashenka government.

For the first time under the Belarus sanctions regime, a Chinese state-owned entity was designated for its alleged role in producing Belarusian military goods. The EU also mirrored several Russia-related measures for Belarus, including trade restrictions, crypto measures, cyber security service bans, tourism service restrictions and legal protection measures.

The Belarus sanctions regime was extended until February 28, 2027.