New restrictions as part of the EU's 20th sanctions package

On 24 April 2026 the European Union adopted the 20th package of sanctions against Russia and introduced new restrictive measures in the sectors of trade, energy, financial services and technology.

The new package of sanctions provides for the following:

•  extending the list of export bans, including on chemicals, rubber and articles of vulcanised rubber, articles of steel, tools for metal production and industrial tractors;
•  new import bans from Russia, including on raw materials, steel, certain minerals, scrap of steel and other metals, chemicals, articles of vulcanised rubber;
•  direct export ban introduced for the first time against a third country – Kyrgyz Republic – on certain machining centres for working metal and data transmission machines;
•  additional restrictions in the energy sector, including the imposition of sanctions on another 46 so-called ‘shadow fleet’ vessels;
•  bans on the provision of financial and technical services to certain Russian LNG tankers and ice-breaker vessels;
•  mandatory due diligence requirements in certain vessel sales agreements;
•  imposition of sanctions on another 60 legal entities in Russia and third countries;
•  ban on the provision of managed cybersecurity services to Russian companies;
•  ban on transactions with crypto assets RUBx and Digital Rouble;
•  ban on transactions with four third-country banks that use the Russian System for Transfer of Financial Messages (SPFS).

To minimize possible compliance, reputational and financial risks, we encourage:

•  to assess carefully supply chains, the structure of partners and to carry out the verification of goods CN codes;
•  to pay particular attention to transactions and payments that involve third countries, including China, United Arab Emirates, countries of Central Asia and Kyrgyz Republic;
•  to perform necessary due diligence procedures prior to entering into large-scale transactions or logistics agreements;
•  to avoid cooperation with vessels subject to sanctions risks or the so-called ‘shadow fleet’ vessels;
•  to ensure that all new cooperation agreements include sanctions observance clauses.

Detailed information on the EU 20th package of sanctions is available here. 
Official press release of the Council of the European Union is available here.

If you have any questions, please contact the Bank’s specialists.