On Thursday, 21 April, the Council of the European Union adopted restrictive measures against two businessmen for their role in undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Ukraine and for benefitting from Russian decision-makers responsible for the illegal annexation of Crimea or the destabilisation of eastern Ukraine.
One of these men is Yevgeniy Prigozhin, a prominent Russian businessman who maintains close ties with President Vladimir Putin and the Russian Ministry of Defence. He founded and unofficially heads the Wagner Group. According to the EU Council, some of his companies have benefitted from large public contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defence following Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and the occupation of eastern Ukraine by Russia-backed separatists. Mr Prigozhin was already subject to sanctions for supporting activities that threaten the peace, security, and stability of Libya (see EUROPE 12582/32).
Ukrainian Serhiy Vitaliyovich Kurchenko—who, with support from pro-Russian separatists, took control of several large metallurgical, chemical, and energy plants in areas held by the latter—is subject to these measures as well. According to the EU Council, he also strengthened the independent power supplies of the Crimean Peninsula and owns the largest oil depot there.
With this decision, the EU’s restrictive measures concerning the undermining of Ukraine’s territorial integrity now apply to a total of 1,093 individuals and 80 entities. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)