Ukraine anger as EU removes Russian oligarchs from sanctions list
Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman both have close ties to President Putin, and Kyiv said the move sent Moscow the wrong signals.
European Union officials have announced that they will remove sanctions imposed on Russian oligarchs Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Ukrainian officials expressed anger over the decision, calling it "unacceptable" and warning it sends the wrong message to Russia. Russian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha declared the move a victory, stating it creates a sense of impunity and humiliates the EU.
Latvia had initially opposed the deal but later agreed to a compromise, which involved extending sanctions on nearly 3,000 other individuals and entities for an additional three years. The EU had initially described Usmanov as a pro-Kremlin oligarch with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Usmanov's company, USM Holding, owns various industries in Russia, while Fridman founded Alfa Group, a significant investment conglomerate in Russia.
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