The number of sanctioned Russians swelled by 15 on Tuesday.
European Union ambassadors, gathering in Brussels, released a statement late Monday announcing the new measures against Russian officials. The move comes after increasing concern about Russian troops amassing near Ukraine. The soldiers have since been ordered back to their barracks after demonstrating military manuevers along the eastern border.
One of the officials, Oleg Genrikhovich Savelyev, is nomiated to join the Board of Directors for oil giant Gazprom.
The new ream of EU-blacklisted names came hours after the United States announced restrictive measures against seven individuals and 17 corporations on Monday.
The total number of EU-sanctioned Russians now totals 48 with restrictions ranging from travel bans to asset freezes.
The EU is Russia’s largest trading partner, giving them greater economic leverage; however they have been more hesitant about imposing strict sanctions on Putin-linked Russians than the Americans.
The full list of Tuesday’s sanction targets include:
· Dmitry Nikolayevich Kozak
· Oleg Yevgenyvich Belavenstev
· Oleg Genrikhovich Savelyev
· Sergei Ivanovich Menyailo
· Olga Fedorovna Kovatidi
· Ludmila Ivanovna Shvetsova
· Sergei Ivanovich Neverov
· Igor Dmitrievich Sergun
· Valery Vasilevich Gerasimov
· German Prokopiv
· Valeriy Bolotov
· Andriy Purgin
· Denys Pushylin
· Tsyplakov Sergey Gennadevich
· Igor Strelkov (Ihor Strielkov)
EU leaders have cautioned they are prepared to consider clamp downs on the Russian financial industry and energy sector, but there have been no deliberate actions to impose those sanctions.
It is not clear whether the return of Russian troops to their bases will be seen as an act of descalation and will ease any sanctions.
