Bloomberg: EU considering sanctions against foreign companies behind Russian defense tech

The EU is assessing imposing sanctions against over a dozen companies that continue to supply Russia with weapons technology, such as navigation systems for missiles, Bloomberg reported on April 23.

The EU is readying its 14th package of sanctions against Russia, which should be adopted this spring, EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said on April 9.

The European bloc has already adopted 13 packages in response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, aiming to undermine Moscow's economic output and the ability to sustain the war.

The companies are based in non-EU countries including Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, China, and Russia, Bloomberg said, citing a document seen by its journalists.

The document suggests that some of the companies based outside of Russia "have links to Russian and Belarussian individuals and firms," Bloomberg said.

The companies are allegedly responsible for importing "millions of euros worth of restricted European goods that have been used by the Russian military," Bloomberg said.

These goods include military computer hardware, navigation systems for missiles, and EU-made antennas.

The EU's 13th package of sanctions targeted an additional 106 individuals and 88 entities enabling Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, including companies from India, Sri Lanka, China, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Thailand, and Turkey.

Read also: WSJ: US drafting sanctions aimed at Chinese banks aiding Russia’s war effort

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