22/10/2020 (Agence Europe) – As announced (see EUROPE 12578/15), on Thursday 22 October, the European Union imposed sanctions on the 85th Main Centre for Special Services (GTsSS) of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces (GRU), its Director, Igor Kostyukov, and one of its officers, Dmitry Badin. According to the legal acts, “these persons and that body are responsible for or were involved in cyberattacks having a significant effect and constituting an external threat to the Union or its Member States, in particular the cyberattack against the German Federal Parliament (Deutscher Bundestag), which took place in April and May 2015”. Both men are now subject to an asset freeze and visa ban, and the 85th Main Centre for Special Services (GtsSS), also known as Unit 26165, to an EU asset freeze. (CG)