Sanctions adopted following Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine

What the EU is doing and why

Since March 2014, the EU has progressively imposed restrictive measures (sanctions) against Russia, initially in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol and the deliberate destabilisation of Ukraine. On 23 February 2022, the EU expanded the sanctions in response to the recognition of the non-government controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk ‘oblasts’ of Ukraine, and the ordering of Russian armed forces into those areas. After 24 February 2022, in response to Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, the EU massively expanded the sanctions. It added a significant number of individuals and organisations to the sanctions list, and adopted unprecedented measures with the aim of weakening Russia's economic base, depriving it of critical technologies and markets, and significantly curtailing its ability to wage war.

In parallel, the EU sanctions regime concerning Belarus has been expanded in response to the country’s involvement in Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. This is in addition to the sanctions aimed at Belarus that were already in place. This sanctions regime consists of a range of financial, economic and trade measures.

The respective Council Regulations identified below are addressed to all individuals, organisations and bodies under EU jurisdiction, for which they create legal obligations.

EU sanctions map

The EU sanctions map provides comprehensive details of all EU sanctions regimes and their corresponding legal acts, including a whistleblower tool, a consolidated list of travel bans and a consolidated list of financial sanctions.

Measures adopted since 2022

23 April 2026
Twentieth package
See the details of the 20^th package of sanctions against Russia.
17 December 2025
New shadow fleet vessels lists
See the details of the new shadow fleet vessels lists.
15 December 2025
New set of sanctions against Belarus
See the details of the new set of sanctions against Belarus.
15 December 2025
New set of sanctions against the Russian shadow fleet ecosystem
See the details of the new set of sanctions against the Russian shadow fleet ecosystem.
23 October 2025
Nineteenth package
See the details of the 19^th package of sanctions against Russia.
18 July 2025
Eighteenth package
See the details of the 18^th package of sanctions against Russia.
20 May 2025
Seventeenth package
See the details of the 17^th package of sanctions against Russia.
24 February 2025
Sixteenth package
See the details of the 16^th package of sanctions against Russia.
16 December 2024
Fifteenth package
See the details of the 15^th package of sanctions against Russia.
29 June 2024
New set of sanctions against Belarus
See the details of the new set of sanctions against Belarus.
24 June 2024
Fourteenth package
See the details of the 14^th package of sanctions against Russia.
17 May 2024
Sanctions against disinformation and war propaganda
See the details of the sanctions against disinformation and war propaganda.
23 February 2024
Thirteenth package
See the details of the 13^th package of sanctions against Russia.
18 December 2023
Twelfth package
See the details of the 12^th package of sanctions against Russia.
3 August 2023
Extension of the scope of sanctions on Belarus to fight circumvention
See the details for the extension of the scope of sanctions on Belarus to fight circumvention.
23 June 2023
Eleventh package
See the details of the 11^th package of sanctions against Russia.
25 February 2023
Tenth package
See the details of the 10^th package of sanctions against Russia.
16 December 2022
Ninth package
See the details of the 9^th package of sanctions against Russia.
5 October 2022
Eighth package
See the details of the 8^th package of sanctions against Russia.
21 July 2022
Maintenance and alignment package
See the details of the maintenance and alignment package.
3 June 2022
Sixth package
See the details of the 6^th package of sanctions against Russia.
8 April 2022
Fifth package
See the details of the 5^th package of sanctions against Russia.
15 March 2022
Fourth package
See the details of the 4^th package of sanctions against Russia.
9 March 2022
“Compliance package”
See the details of the “Compliance package” of sanctions against Russia.
2 March and 28 February 2022
Third package
See the details of the 3^rd package of sanctions against Russia.
25 February 2022
Second package
See the details of the 2^nd package of sanctions against Russia.
23 February 2022
First package
See the details of the 1^st package of sanctions against Russia.

Overview of sanctions in place

Economic sanctions on Russia

The economic (or sectoral) sanctions target exchanges with Russia in specific economic sectors. The sanctions regime laying down these measures consists of Council Decision 2014/512/CFSP and Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014.

As of 19 December 2023, the economic sanctions regime includes the following measures

Financial measures

Blocking of the Russian Central Bank’s reserves and assets, as well as a prohibition on the financing of the Russian government and Central Bank
Prohibitions on a range of financial interactions, financial rating services and transactions with Russia, as well as prohibitions on the provision of banknotes and sale of securities
Decoupling of certain Russian banks from the SWIFT messaging system
Prohibition on public financing or financial assistance for trade with, or investment in Russia
Prohibition on investment and contribution to projects co-financed by the Russian Direct Investment Fund
Full exclusion of Russia from public contracts and European money
Prohibition on providing crypto services and trust services
Prohibition on accepting deposits

Commerce-related measures

Arms embargo
Prohibition on exports of
- Dual-use goods and advanced technology items that can contribute to Russia’s defence and security capabilities (e.g. quantum computers and advanced semiconductors, electronic components and software)
- Goods contributing to the enhancement of Russian industrial capacities, including the energy industry
- Transportation equipment, goods used in aviation, space industry and maritime navigation
- Civilian firearms
Prohibition on imports of
- Iron and steel, including of some goods processed in third countries using Russian inputs
- Cement, rubber products, wood, aluminium spirits, liquor, high-end seafood and other goods generating significant revenues for Russia
- Gold and diamonds
Transit bans for certain prohibited goods via the Russian territory
Prohibition to provide technical assistance or brokering services for prohibited goods, as well as to sell, license, transfer or refer intellectual property rights and trade secrets
“Anti-circumvention tool” which allows for restrictions on the export of sanctioned goods to third countries with continued and particularly high risk of circumvention
Obligation for operators to contractually prohibit the re-export of certain sanctioned goods
Prohibition to provide certain services (business, legal advisory, IT consultancy etc.)

Transport

Prohibition on certain operations in the aviation sector (airspace closure)
Notification requirements for private flights between the EU and Russia
Prohibition on Russian freight operators and on the use of Russian trailers and semi-trailers
Prohibition to access EU ports and locks for Russian-flagged vessels and vessels which manipulate or turn-off navigation systems when transporting Russian oil

Energy

Prohibition on new investments in the energy sector
Prohibition on the export of goods for use in the oil industry
Prohibition on the import of coal, peat and LPG (liquified petroleum gas) and seaborne crude oil
Prohibition on providing oil transport services
Implementation of the G7 oil price cap for Russian oil exports (see further details in the next section)
Prohibition on Russian nationals and entities to book gas storage capacity in the Union
Prohibition to import Russian oil via pipeline for some Member States

Media

Prohibition on the broadcast in the EU of certain Russian state-owned media outlets

Oil price cap

The G7 Oil Price Cap Coalition established an oil price cap mechanism on Russian seaborne crude oil and petroleum products. EU operators are only allowed to provide maritime transport and related services for Russian crude oil and petroleum products if these are sold at or below the relevant price caps. This mechanism has been specifically designed to further reduce Russia's revenues, while keeping global energy markets stable through continued supplies. It is applicable to Russian crude oil since 5 December 2022, and to Russian petroleum products since 5 February 2023.

Provisions relating to the Russian oil price cap are laid down in Council Decision 2014/512/CFSP and Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014.

Article 3n of Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 sets out the Russian oil price cap mechanism
Articles 3eb and 3ec of Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 set out EU port access bans for vessels which are transporting Russian oil and have conducted ship–to-ship transfers or turned off their AIS navigation systems during the voyage to a Member State, giving reasons to suspect a breach of the price cap or the Russian oil import ban
Article 3q of Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 sets out an obligation to notify the sale of tankers and seek an authorisation for such sale if to a Russian person or for use in Russia. This measure seeks to more closely monitor sales to help to tackle the ‘shadow fleet' used by Russia to circumvent the Russian oil price cap
Article 3na of Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 sets out information sharing mechanism between Member States and the Commission to further identify vessels and entities engaging in deceptive practices while transporting Russian crude oil and petroleum products

EU guidance

Price Cap Coalition guidance and statements

Individual sanctions

The measures consist of travel bans and financial measures (asset freezes and a prohibition on making funds or economic resources available) that now target a total of 1 206 individuals and over 108 organisations responsible for undermining Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence. This sanctions regime consists of Council Decision 2014/145/CFSP and Council Regulation (EU) No 269/2014.

Sanctions concerning the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine

Since 2014, restrictions on trade and investment have been imposed regarding to Crimea and Sevastopol. This sanctions regime consists of Council Decision 2014/386/CFSP and Council Regulation (EU) No 692/2014.

In 2022, restrictions on trade and investment were also imposed regarding to the non-government controlled areas of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts of Ukraine. This sanctions regime consists of Council Decisions (CFSP) 2022/266 and Council Regulation (EU) 2022/263. The measures therein are very similar to those concerning Crimea and Sevastopol.

Sanctions on Belarus

Since 2020, a wide range of restrictive measures have been imposed regarding Belarus, including economic sanctions, individual restrictive measures and restrictions on trade. All these measures form part of a single sanctions regime consisting of Council Decision 2012/642/CFSP and Council Regulation (EC) No 765/2006.

Sanctions on Iran (drones)

In July 2023, the Council prohibited the export, transfer, sale or supply of components used in the manufacturing of UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles, “drones”) to Iran or for use in Iran. It also imposed travel bans and financial measures (asset freezes and a prohibition on making funds or economic resources available) on persons and entities responsible for, or involved in, the Iranian state-sponsored programme for the development and production of UAVs. In December 2023, six persons and five entities were designated. This sanctions regime consists of Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/1532 and Council Regulation (EU) 2023/1529.

Guidance documents and frequently asked questions

Member States are responsible for implementing sanctions. The Commission oversees the implementation by Member States and is working closely with them in order to support them on implementation, provide information to stakeholders, and engage in a dialogue to collect feedback on how sanctions are implemented.

The Commission has published guidance and extensive FAQs (over 500) covering a broad range of topics and continues to update them, in order to assist stakeholders on how to apply the sanctions packages.

Have a look at the guidance documents

Have a look at the FAQs

Contacts

The Commission and the Member States have different contact points that can provide answers to your queries. Explore our “Contacts” page to find the right channel for your specific needs.