Ukraine imposed sanctions on over 80 individuals and legal entities linked to Russian military aggression and propaganda
On April 18, 2025, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, signed two decrees – No. 246/2025 and No. 247/2025 – implementing the decision of the National Security and Defense Council to introduce personal sanctions against a number of legal entities and individuals.
The restrictions target defense-sector enterprises in Russia and Belarus, including those related to the production of Iskander missiles, as well as public figures who support the war against Ukraine.
Sanctions against defense companies. The list includes 56 companies registered in the Russian Federation, related to the metallurgical, chemical, automotive, and defense industries. One company is registered in the Republic of Belarus and three more in China.
The sanctions provide for the full blocking of assets, suspension of trade operations, transit restrictions, as well as a ban on the transfer of technologies and participation in public procurement in Ukraine.
Pro‑Russian figures. The sanctions list, initiated by the Security Service of Ukraine, includes actors, musicians, TV presenters, athletes, and other public figures who support aggression against Ukraine or engage in propaganda. The sanctions include full asset blocking, a ban on media distribution, entry restrictions, termination of economic obligations, a ban on acquiring property, participation in privatization, and the annulment of Ukrainian state awards.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is to inform international partners about these sanctions and advocate for the adoption of similar measures in the US, the EU, and other countries.
US extends sanctions against Russia for another year
President of the United States Donald Trump signed a decree extending for one year the sanctions against the Russian Federation that were introduced by Joe Biden on April 15, 2021. Donald Trump also kept in force the ban on vessels linked to Russia entering U.S. ports — it has been in effect since April 2022.
The EU may abandon pan-European sanctions against Russia
Following the threat by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to block the extension of sanctions against Russia, EU countries are considering a new strategy. One option is to move sanctions from the EU level to national legislation to avoid the need for a unanimous vote.
According to Politico, at least six countries, including Belgium and the Czech Republic, are already discussing this approach. The goal is to guarantee the sustainability of the sanctions regime even in the event of blocking by individual members. The decision to extend the EU sanctions is due at the end of July.
EU postpones ban on imports of Russian LNG
The European Union will not include a ban on imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) in its upcoming sanctions packages due to resistance from certain countries and uncertainty about replacing suppliers.
The European Commission is working on the 17th sanctions package, but the process is moving slowly. Instead, in May it plans to present a phased plan to phase out Russian energy sources as an alternative to an immediate LNG ban.
Rubio: U.S. may walk away from Ukraine-Russia peace talks if there is no progress
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Washington may withdraw from negotiations to end the war in Ukraine if there is no tangible progress in the coming days. "We need to figure out here, now within a matter of days, whether this is doable in the short term, because if it's not, then I think we're just going to move on," he said on April 18 following a round of peace talks held in Paris. "It's not our war," Rubio added. U.S. President Donald Trump echoed this rhetoric.
At the same time, Rubio emphasized the limits of U.S. influence: "I always remind everybody that part of the sanctions against Russia, many of them are European sanctions that we can't lift."
Putin has tightened penalties for calling for sanctions and cooperating with foreign bodies
Vladimir Putin has signed a law increasing penalties for publicly discrediting the Russian army, calling for sanctions against Russia, and assisting in the enforcement of decisions by international organizations and foreign governments in which Russia does not participate.
Under the new legislation, calls to impose or extend sanctions—if motivated by personal gain or carried out for payment—can result in fines of up to 3 million rubles, forced labor, or imprisonment for up to 5 years. The law also includes bans on holding certain positions or engaging in specific professional activities.
Financing of Russian lawyers in a criminal case deemed a sanctions violation
On April 15, the Harju County Court found Tatjana Sokolova guilty of breaching EU and Estonian anti‑Russian sanctions. She transported €10,000 in cash from Russia to Estonia to fund the defense of Andrey Andronov — a defendant in the case alongside treason suspect Aivo Peterson.
Sokolova received the money from the sanctioned Russian organization The Foundation for the Support and Protection of the Rights of Compatriots Living Abroad, linked to the Kremlin, and handed it over to lawyers in Estonia. For this, she was sentenced to 16 months in prison and ordered to pay over €1,300 in court costs. The cash was confiscated.
India reduces dependence on Russian arms
India has approved a $7.4 billion deal to purchase 26 The Dassault Rafale multirole fighter aircraft from France. This is another step toward reducing its reliance on Russian military equipment.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, India was the largest buyer of French arms in 2020–2024. The country is increasingly turning to Western suppliers, cutting orders from Russia.
Russian ex‑governor of Sevastopol sentenced to prison for circumventing UK sanctions
The Southwark Crown Court sentenced former Russian Governor of Sevastopol and former Deputy Industry Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitrii Ovsiannikov to 40 months in prison for breaching financial sanctions and laundering money. This is the first criminal case in relation to a breach of the UK's Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019.
His brother, Alexei Ovsiannikov, received a 15‑month suspended sentence — suspended for the same period.
More news is available in the Monitoring of the Russian Information Landscape by the Economic Security Council of Ukraine attached below.
