European Commission proposes additional sanctions on Russia, 9th since war

The European Commission on Wednesday proposed the ninth package of sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. In a press statement, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that they are "stepping up the pressure" on Russia with the ninth package of sanctions.

"Russia continues to bring death and devastation to Ukraine. It is deliberately targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, seeking to paralyse the country at the beginning of the winter. We stand by Ukraine and we are making Russia pay for its cruelty," Ursula von der Leyen said in a press statement.

Ursula von der Leyen said that European Commission has proposed to impose sanctions against 200 additional individuals and entities, including the Russian armed forces, defence industrial companies, members of Russia's State Duma, Federal Council, ministers and governors.

She noted that the list includes "key figures" involved in Russia's "brutal and deliberate missile strikes against civilians, in the kidnapping of Ukrainian children to Russia and in the theft of Ukrainian agricultural products."

EU Commission President stated that they are in favour of imposing sanctions against three additional Russian banks, including a full transaction ban on the Russian Regional Development Bank.

She said that European Commission proposes to introduce import restrictions on goods, including key chemicals, nerve agents, electronics and IT components that she stressed could be used by the "Russian war machine."

Furthermore, von der Leyen said that European Commission proposes to cut Russia's access to all sorts of drones and unmanned aerial vehicles. In addition, European Commission calls for barring the direct exports of drone engines to Russia and any third countries, which could provide drones to Russia.

Von der Leyen stated that European Commission also favours targeting Russian propaganda machines by taking four additional channels off the air and all other distribution platforms. She stressed that European Commission proposes further economic measures against the Russian energy and mining sector. Notably, the European Commission has introduced eight packages of sanctions against Russia since Moscow began its offensive in Kyiv.