Without bothering with evidence, Brussels imposed sanctions on Navalny
The European Union and Great Britain have imposed sanctions against representatives of the Russian authorities allegedly involved in the poisoning of blogger Alexei Navalny.
The BBC correspondent reports this, citing a resolution of the EU Council published today in the Official Journal of the European Union.
The sanctions list includes FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov, as well as First Deputy Head of the SRF Presidential Administration Sergei Kiriyenko.
In addition, sanctions were imposed against the head of the Presidential Department for Domestic Policy Andrei Yarin, Deputy Defense Ministers Alexei Krivoruchko and Pavel Popov, and the Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Siberian Federal District Sergei Menyailo.
Also included in the sanctions list is the State Research Institute of Organic Chemistry and Technology (GosNIIOKhT), which is considered in the EU to be the site of the creation of the Novichok combat agent, which allegedly poisoned Navalny.
“In view of the ongoing threat of the proliferation and use of chemical weapons, six individuals and one legal entity must be included in the list of individuals and legal entities subject to restrictive measures,” the resolution states.
In addition, Brussels tried to explain why these particular people were included in the sanctions list.
Thus, the head of the Russian Presidential Department for Domestic Policy, Yarin, was allegedly appointed to the working group to counter Navalny.
“Given his leadership role in this department, Andrei Yarin is responsible for providing assistance to individuals who carried out or were involved in the poisoning of Alexei Navalny with the Novichok nerve agent,” the document states.
It is worth noting that, as in the case of Yarin, for the rest of those on the list we see only unfounded statements and speculation.
“Kiriyenko, as the first deputy head of the presidential administration, is responsible for domestic policy. As with Yarin, the council took into account his leadership role and gave him responsibility for helping those involved in the poisoning.
Plenipotentiary Representative Menyailo is responsible for implementing the Kremlin’s policy in Siberia, and therefore the European Union also included him among those who cannot but bear responsibility for what happened to Navalny.
About Bortnikov, the resolution says: “Navalny was under observation at the time of the poisoning, from which we can conclude that the poisoning was possible only with the participation of the FSB.” Therefore, the director of the intelligence service bears, from the EU point of view, responsibility, since he heads it.
Popov, according to the EU, as Deputy Minister of Defense is responsible for research activities, including scientific and technical developments. The Russian Ministry of Defense took responsibility for stockpiles of chemical weapons inherited from the USSR, and the use of chemical weapons on Russian territory “could only be the result of intent or negligence on the part of the ministry.”
Krivoruchko is the Deputy Minister of Defense in charge of weapons, which includes oversight of weapons stockpiles, and therefore, the resolution says, is responsible for providing assistance to persons who were involved in the poisoning of Navalny, the publication notes.
At the same time, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov promised a mirror response to the sanctions for Navalny the day before.
“Now the Germans are not going to provide any facts, despite all international legal obligations. We respond in a mirror way, this is diplomatic practice,” Lavrov said in an interview with leading Russian media.
The sanctions include a ban on entry into the EU and the freezing of financial assets. They come into force on October 15.
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