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ARTICLE · 28 JULY 2026

EU Council Adopts 21st Sanctions Package Against Russia

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The European Union has unveiled its most comprehensive sanctions package against Russia to date, targeting 216 individuals and entities across energy, financial services, and cryptocurrency sectors. With unprecedented measures including shadow fleet vessel restrictions, crypto-asset service provider bans, and enhanced legal protections for EU operators, this 21st package represents a significant escalation in economic pressure designed to disrupt Russia's war economy and close circumvention channels through

GlobalInternational Law
Guy Soussan
Guy Soussan
Mariana Pendás Fernández
Mariana Pendás Fernández
Algirdas Semeta
Algirdas Semeta
Ana Amador
Ana Amador
Maria Salomé Bustos Mesa
Maria Salomé Bustos Mesa

On July 23, 2026, the Council of the European Union (EU) adopted its highly anticipated 21st sanctions package against Russia. The package introduces a new round of restrictive measures targeting key sectors of Russia’s economy, including the energy, financial services and crypto, trade, and military sectors, while further targeting entities in several non-EU countries for their involvement in the circumvention of EU sanctions and other activities supporting Russia's war effort.

Alongside the Russia measures, the EU has updated the Belarus sanctions regime by aligning it more closely with certain restrictive measures applicable to Russia.

The latest package of EU restrictive measures is set out in nine legal instruments:

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