EU slaps new sanctions on Russia over hybrid threats, disinformation

The European Union on July 15 imposed sanctions on nine individuals and six entities linked to Russia for their involvement in hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns aimed at destabilizing the EU and Ukraine, the Council of the EU announced.

The new sanctions come amid intensified Russian hybrid attacks across the European Union.

The new restrictive measures target actors involved in what the EU described as "Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference" (FIMI), a term encompassing activities such as cyberattacks, disinformation, and manipulation of infrastructure and public opinion.

Among the sanctioned entities is the state-owned Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network (RTRS), which the EU says plays a key role in replacing Ukrainian broadcasting systems in Russian-occupied territories with state-approved content aimed at suppressing dissent and undermining Ukraine's governance.

Two high-ranking members of the 841st Separate Electronic Warfare Center in Kaliningrad were also sanctioned for their role in GPS signal interference across several European countries, particularly affecting the Baltic states and civil aviation.

The EU also listed three organizations it described as disinformation platforms: the BRICS Journalists Association (BJA), the Foundation to Battle Injustice (R-FBI), both established by deceased Russian oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin, and the Center for Geopolitical Expertise (CGE), founded by nationalist ideologue Alexander Dugin.

These entities are accused of spreading false narratives in Europe, including a fabricated campaign accusing French soldiers of kidnapping children in Niger after the 2023 coup.

The EU further sanctioned Russian website developer Yevgeny Shevchenko and his company, Tigerweb, for spreading pro-Russian propaganda in Western countries, including France, and a GRU officer and various Kremlin-linked propagandists.

In a related decision, the Council of the EU recently sanctioned Nathalie Yamb, a social media personality with close ties to pro-Russian networks in Africa, for her support of Russian disinformation targeting Western influence on the continent.

These latest measures bring the total number of individuals and entities sanctioned under the EU's Russia hybrid threats framework to 47 and 15, respectively. The sanctions include asset freezes and travel bans. EU citizens and companies are also prohibited from making funds or economic resources available to those listed.

The Dutch military intelligence agency MIVD warned earlier this year that Russia is stepping up its hybrid operations against the Netherlands and European allies.