EU imposes sanctions on Russian broadcasters, individuals over global disinformation

The European Council has imposed fresh sanctions on nine individuals and six entities for their involvement in Russia’s foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) operations and other destabilising activities abroad. The decision, announced on July 15, expands the European Union’s efforts to counter hybrid threats emanating from the Russian Federation.

Among the sanctioned entities is the state-owned Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network (RTRS), which has played a key role in replacing Ukrainian broadcasting infrastructure in occupied territories with Russian state-approved content. According to the Council, RTRS’s actions aim to suppress dissent, align local populations with Kremlin narratives, and undermine the legitimacy of Ukraine’s government in these regions, Caliber.Az reports per the Council’s statement. 

The sanctions also target the 841st Separate Electronic Warfare Center and two senior officers operating out of Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave. The center has been linked to electronic attacks that have disrupted Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals across parts of Europe, particularly affecting the Baltic States and civil aviation operations.

"Furthermore, the EU is targeting the BRICS Journalists Association [BJA], the Foundation to Battle Injustice [R-FBI] and the Center for Geopolitical Expertise [CGE]. BJA and R-FBI were created by Yevgeny Prigozhin, and have been involved in numerous FIMI operations targeting France and Ukraine, including a campaign accusing French soldiers of having kidnapped children from Niger after the military coup d’état in 2023, while CGE was founded by Aleksandr Dugin, and is responsible for orchestrating disinformation campaigns targeting Ukrainian interests, discrediting Western political figures, and influencing electoral processes in Western countries," the Council stated.

In addition, the Council has sanctioned a GRU military intelligence officer, several Russian propagandists, and Ukrainian national Yevgeny Shevchenko, whose web company Tigerweb has spread pro-Russian narratives across Western media spaces, including France.

The EU also reaffirmed recent restrictive measures against Nathalie Yamb, a social media influencer and vocal pro-Russia advocate. Yamb, who is linked to the AFRIC group associated with Russian private military companies, has promoted anti-Western narratives aimed at bolstering Russian influence in Africa.

These sanctions bring the total number of individuals and entities subject to EU restrictive measures for Russian hybrid activities to 47 and 15 respectively. Those listed face asset freezes, prohibitions on making funds or resources available to them, and travel bans within the EU.

By Sabina Mammadli