Ukraine to add 20 Russian oligarchs to sanctions list after EU lifts measures on Fridman and Usmanov

Ukraine will add 20 additional Russian oligarchs to its sanctions list, the country's Foreign Ministry said, in response to the European Union Council's decision to lift sanctions against Russian businessmen Mikhail Fridman and Alisher Usmanov.

The move reflects Kyiv's objection to the EU's decision to remove the two oligarchs from its restrictive measures list, which Ukrainian officials view as undermining the broader sanctions effort against Russia.

Expanding sanctions pressure

The Foreign Ministry did not immediately name the additional individuals who will be added to Ukraine's own sanctions list, though the step is intended to maintain pressure on figures linked to the Russian economy and political establishment.

Fridman and Usmanov had previously been sanctioned by the EU over their alleged ties to the Russian state, though the specific grounds cited for the EU Council's decision to lift the measures against them were not detailed in the available report.

Ukraine has periodically updated its own sanctions lists throughout the conflict, often in response to perceived gaps or reversals in sanctions imposed by its Western partners.

The decision underscores continuing friction between Kyiv and some European institutions over the pace and scope of sanctions against individuals connected to Russia.