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These are well-dosed punitive measures that, in the opinion of European Union representatives, should target those who may be responsible for the attempted assassination of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.
The Russian opposition activist was poisoned with the internationally banned nerve agent Novichok and collapsed on August 20 during a domestic flight from Tomsk to Moscow. Navalny suspects that Russian President Vladimir Putin is behind the poison attack on him. The Kremlin continues to reject any participation.
In its sanctions list, the EU now explicitly emphasizes that the use of Novichok allows the conclusion “that the poisoning of Navalny was only possible with the approval of the presidential office.” According to the statement, the punitive measures are directed at people “who, due to their official role, are responsible for this crime. […] apply, as well as an institution participating in the Novitschok program. “
He barred six Russian officials and blocked their accounts, including two close confidants of Kremlin chief Putin, who is not mentioned. Who are those affected?
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The head of the powerful domestic secret service FSB, Alexander Bortnikow: Navalny had mentioned him in an interview with SPIEGEL as one of three possible state representatives who could give the order to deploy Novitschok. Bortnikov leads the service for Putin in which the head of the Kremlin began his career, back then it was still called the KGB. The secret service has been busy tracking and tracking Navalny and his team for years, including in Tomsk, as the FSB’s own employees have spread, which the EU has now emphasized in its decision. There were also searches at Nawalny’s offices and investigations against the opposition, in which the FSB was also involved.
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Andrej Jarin, Head of Internal Policy at the Kremlin: Jarin works closely with Kiriyenko and has always been involved with Navalny. As the critical Kremlin broadcaster “TV Rain” reported in 2017, it was Jarin who personally led the campaign against the opposition politician, who now also mentions the EU. It happened after Navalny made millions from his movie about then-Prime Minister Dimitry Medvedev’s possessions. To date, the video has been viewed 36 million times.
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Deputy Minister of Defense Pavel Popov: The general has been in office since 2013, overseeing the investigation at military installations. He appeared publicly when he criticized Poland and Bulgaria for removing Soviet monuments.
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Deputy Foreign Minister Alexej Kriworutschko: He has only held his position since 2018, before that he was Managing Director of the Kalashnikov Group and head of the Aeroexpress transport company. Navalny reported on corruption in Moscow’s transportation system in 2014, and Krivoruchko’s name was also mentioned. At the ministry, he is now responsible for the organization and development of weapons and special equipment for the army. Both Krivorutschko and Popov are now subject to sanctions because, according to EU data, they are responsible in the Defense Ministry for the destruction of chemical weapons from the Soviet Union, including the neurotoxin Novichok.
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Putin’s representative in Siberia, Sergei Menjajlo: He is responsible for the area where Navalny was poisoned since 2016. The attack took place during a visit by the opposition party to Tomsk, the EU believes that Menjajlo was involved. He was deputy commander of the Black Sea Fleet from 2009 to 2011 and Putin’s governor in Sevastopol from 2014 to 2016 after the annexation of Crimea.
Also, Putin’s confidant Yevgeny Prigozhin is on the EU sanctions list. The billionaire, who is called “Putin’s chief chef” because he also hosted banquets for Putin as a restaurateur, is officially accused of violating the UN arms embargo against Libya. Prigozhin has complained about Navalny and his team. Opponents accuse Putin’s confidant of corrupt machinations, with which they have turned the influential businessman into a powerful enemy.
Further development of Novichok
EU countries also included the Russian state research institute in organic chemistry and technology on the sanctions list. Officially, he conducts civilian investigations, but according to Western intelligence services he was responsible for the development of chemical warfare agents in the Soviet Union, including Novichok. Former employees like Vladimir Ugljow have also reported on this.
Several laboratories and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) had detected a substance from the Novitschok group in blood and urine samples from Navalny. According to German security authorities, this is a further development of the poison, which was also detected in the attack on former Russian-British double agent Sergej Skripal.
Moscow reaction: “Hostile movement against Russia”
In Moscow, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov not only threatened equivalent counter-sanctions before the new EU sanctions were announced, but also thought aloud about ending the dialogue with her: those responsible for the foreign policy of the EU do not understand the need for something characterized by mutual respect. Speaking, he complained this week at a meeting of the “Valday Club,” a carefully selected group of Russian and foreign political scientists. “Maybe we should stop talking to them for a while,” he said.
“A deliberately hostile step against Russia,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, calling on the EU for sanctions. The decision to make relations between the EU and Moscow depend on a man “who is considered the leader of a certain opposition in Europe” is “of course only regrettable,” added Peskov, who again did not use the name Navalny. . It can be assumed that now the Kremlin will quickly announce measures against punishment.
Furthermore, Moscow continues to attempt to impersonate a victim. Officials draw their own realities, they speak of a great conspiracy against Russia, a defense attempt that is grotesque. Peskov even claimed that the CIA was behind the assassination attempt and that service agents were working with Navalny. The opposition politician wants to take legal action against this statement.
It is not the only statement currently causing astonishment. When Lavrov interrupted the dialogue with the EU, the Foreign Minister explicitly mentioned the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. He would have said that a geopolitical partnership would not be successful with the current Russian apparatus.
To this said a spokesperson for the EU Commission for SPIEGEL only: “We have no idea which statement you are referring to.”
