European sanctions against high-ranking Russian officials

Yesterday, the European Union imposed sanctions against six high-ranking Russian officials and an organization, in the context of the poisoning of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, despite threats of retaliation from Moscow.

The Russian officials, who will be subject to an asset freeze and a travel ban to the European Union, include the director of the Federal Security Service, Alexander Putnikov, the deputy chief of staff of the Presidential Office Sergey Kerenko, and two Russian deputy defense ministers.

European sanctions also affected the State Scientific Research Institute of Organic Chemistry and Technology.

It is noteworthy that Russia denied any involvement in the attack, and doubted that Navalny had been poisoned in the first place.

Russia issued a sharp criticism of the European sanctions, and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov threatened the European Union with issuing a similar blacklist of individuals.

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