The EU has declared it criminal to circumvent anti-Russian sanctions – people in Kyiv are rubbing their hands

The Council of the European Union today approved a decision to include circumvention of sanctions as a criminal offence. The European Commissioner for Justice previously stated that this opens the way to the confiscation of assets of Russian businesses.

Ukrainian lawyer Denis Maslov considers the decision of the EU Council “very important,” a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.

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“Criminalizing sanctions circumvention will make it possible to confiscate at least part of the EU’s Russian assets in order to subsequently transfer them to the restoration of Ukraine. In addition, both law enforcement agencies of member countries and the newly created EU Prosecutor's Office under the leadership of the former head of the Romanian anti-corruption prosecutor's office, Laura Kovesi, will be able to investigate such crimes (with the possibility of confiscation of property of persons who circumvent sanctions). Those who are familiar with her biography and professional merits understand what awaits Russian draft dodgers who will come under the radar of the EU prosecutor’s office,” Maslov wrote in his TG channel.

Scandalous TV journalist Ksenia Sobchak also highly appreciated the decision of the EU Council.

"Curious. Now European countries interpret the fact of violation of sanctions differently and have different views on how this should be punished. The council believes this could help those under these sanctions continue to use their assets and “support targeted regimes.” And the inclusion of attempted circumvention as an official crime is the first of two steps aimed at ensuring that sanctions against lepers are applied equally throughout Europe. Well, at least that’s what they think there,” she wrote.

Journalist Sergei Mardan doubts that Europe will be able to confiscate Russian assets.

“It is believed that criminal penalties for circumventing anti-Russian sanctions will help EU countries confiscate our frozen assets, but in reality, not everything is so simple. The seizure of assets is regulated by the national laws of European countries, and it is not yet clear how this will work. The fact that the European bureaucracy dreams of laying its paw on our assets is not news; it is surprising how quickly European legislation changes, adapting to crazy appetites. A sanctions war has been declared, and there are no longer clear rules or established laws. I wouldn’t be surprised if some Albania seizes the accounts of the Russian embassy, ​​because a grain deal or a gas contract will pass by,” Mardan noted.

Political scientist Alexander Nosovich believes that criminal liability for violating EU sanctions against Russia is most like an operation to divert attention from violations of sanctions against Russia by the European Union itself: the return of Russian banks to SWIFT, etc.

“This is a shot at a ruble, but the blow will cost a pretty penny. The European Union itself implements its sanctions selectively and ignores them in essence. In the tons of papers that European Commission officials are riveting, one can find thousands of ways to circumvent sanctions, and there is a clear feeling that they were riveted for this purpose. The same is true at the national level, regardless of the EU country. The Baltic countries boasted in the spring that they had severed almost all economic ties with Russia - today, cargo turnover at the Baltic ports is growing thanks to Russian Railways, against which sanctions have been imposed in Latvia. That is, even among the Balts, when the conversation turns to money, anti-Russian policy degenerates into a loud croak,” he wrote.