On Wednesday 2 March, the European Union officially adopted restrictive measures against 22 Belarusian military personnel, with publication in the Official Journal, because of “their role in the decision-making and strategic planning processes that led to Belarus’ participation in the Russian aggression against Ukraine”.
Among those sanctioned are three assistants to the Belarusian Defence Minister: the Assistant for Ideological Work in the Armed Forces, Leonid Kasinsky, the Assistant for International Military Cooperation, Oleg Voinov, and the Assistant for Military Economy and Finance, Igor Mozhilovsky, and his deputy.
The Head of the Department of Legal Support of the Ministry of Defence, Sergei Sauta, the Head of the General Military Inspectorate of the Armed Forces in the Ministry of Defence, Ivan Boguslavsky, and the Head of Armaments, Vitaly Fridrikhovich Kilchevsky, are subject to measures. The same applies to the heads of the Moral and Psychological Support and Information Departments of the Main Department of Ideological Work of the Ministry of Defence, Oleg Kopyl and Vadim Lukashevich.
In addition, the sanctions concern several senior officers of the air force and air defence forces and the Western and North-Western Operational Command of Belarus.
With this decision, 702 persons and 53 entities are sanctioned for actions undermining the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.
See the legal act: https://aeur.eu/f/l5
New sectoral sanctions
Furthermore, the EU Council adopted new restrictions on trade with Belarus in goods used for the production or manufacture of tobacco products, mineral fuels, bituminous substances and gaseous hydrocarbon products, potassium chloride (potash) products, wood products, cement products, steel products and rubber products.
Additional restrictions are placed on exports of dual-use goods and technologies and certain advanced goods and technologies that may contribute to the country’s military, technological, defence and security development, as well as on the provision of related services.
See the legal act: https://aeur.eu/f/la (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)