Newsletter of the main news 02.03/08.03

1️⃣ Frozen Russian Assets

A UK court has allowed former Yukos shareholders to pursue the seizure of Russian assets to enforce a $65 billion arbitration award. The compensation was granted by the Hague tribunal in 2014 after finding that the company had been expropriated. So far, investors have recovered only about €1.6 million through the sale of rights to Russian vodka brands. The enforcement process is expected to take years.

Russia’s central bank has filed a lawsuit against the EU over the decision to freeze its assets indefinitely. The restrictions, adopted in December 2025, stipulate that the assets will remain blocked until Russia ends the war and compensates Ukraine for the damage caused. The case will be heard by the EU General Court in Luxembourg.

A new category for businesses will be introduced in the International Register of Damage caused by Russia’s aggression. Companies will be able to submit claims for destroyed or lost assets, relocation costs, and other economic losses. All 43 claim categories are expected to be opened by the end of spring.

2️⃣ International Sanctions Policy

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó visited Moscow to negotiate continued supplies of Russian oil and gas. According to him, Budapest seeks to secure stable energy deliveries at existing prices amid the global energy crisis. Hungary remains one of the EU countries maintaining active energy cooperation with Russia.

Russia will take part in the Venice Biennale for the first time since 2022 with a pavilion titled The Tree Is Rooted in the Sky. A Russian representative said the participation demonstrates that the country’s culture is not isolated. The Biennale will take place in Venice from 9 May to 22 November and will feature 99 national pavilions.

Putin has threatened to halt Russian gas supplies to the EU ahead of the bloc’s planned restrictions on Russian energy imports. He suggested that Moscow could redirect exports to alternative markets. The Kremlin also linked current energy market tensions to the war in Iran.

Russian authorities are preparing a mechanism that would effectively nationalize patents held by companies from “unfriendly” countries that left the Russian market after the invasion. According to Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, intellectual property rights could be placed under temporary administration and licensed to domestic producers. The mechanism is expected to be presented by mid-year.

Hungary will block a €90 billion EU financial support package for Ukraine until oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline resume. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Budapest will not support any financial assistance to Kyiv unless Ukraine restores the transit of Russian oil. He also threatened not to comply with EU restrictions on Russian energy.

The United States has allowed India another 30 days to purchase Russian oil already loaded onto tankers before March 5, Bloomberg reports. The temporary waiver will remain in effect until April 4 and is intended to stabilize global energy markets. Around 1.4 million barrels of Urals crude may be delivered to Indian ports during this period.

Hungary and Slovakia are demanding that seven Russians be removed from the EU sanctions list ahead of a vote on extending the restrictions. Diplomatic sources say the EU has proposed a compromise: extending sanctions for 12 months while removing two individuals from the list. The deadline for the decision is March 15.

The President of the International Paralympic Committee said Russian athletes, including military personnel, could be allowed to compete in the Paralympic Games. After the suspension of Russia and Belarus was lifted, their national committees are to be treated like other federations. Russian and Belarusian athletes are currently competing under national flags at the 2026 Paralympics.

The United States is considering partially easing sanctions on Russian oil due to supply shortages on global markets. According to the US Treasury Secretary, hundreds of millions of barrels of sanctioned crude are currently at sea, and releasing them could increase supply. The move is being considered as a temporary measure to stabilize energy markets.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has threatened to block a €90 billion EU financial package for Ukraine. He said Slovakia could “take over the baton” from Hungary in blocking the decision if oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline are not restored.

3️⃣ Sanctions Violations and Evasion

Kyrgyzstan has threatened to sue the EU if sanctions are imposed over the re-export of goods to Russia, Financial Times reports. Brussels believes dual-use items such as electronics and machine tools are reaching Russia through the country. EU data show that imports of such goods to Kyrgyzstan have increased by 800% since 2022, while exports to Russia have risen by 1200%.

A court in Würzburg sentenced a Bavarian car dealer to six years in prison for supplying 111 luxury vehicles to Russia in violation of sanctions. End recipients included employees of the FSB, the Federal Protective Service, Rosneft, and the Russian presidential administration. The court also ordered the confiscation of €18.6 million, and investigators prevented the sale of another 400 cars worth €40 million.

Belarusian companies may be profiting from stolen Ukrainian grain from occupied territories, according to Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation. Investigations indicate that rapeseed and sunflower seeds are transported to Belarus, mixed with local products, and sold under the label “Made in Belarus.” More than 2 million tonnes of grain were taken from occupied Ukrainian territories in 2025 alone.

Belgium has set €10 million bail for the release of a Russian “shadow fleet” tanker detained for sanctions violations. Authorities identified 45 breaches on board, including falsified certificates and the use of a fake Guinean flag. The vessel will be allowed to leave port only after the bail is paid and violations are addressed.

Officials of a company in the Kyiv region will stand trial for supplying critical electromechanical equipment to Russia in circumvention of sanctions. According to investigators, the goods were routed through a shell company in the Middle East and then transited via EU countries. The total value of the shipments is estimated at about UAH 9 million.

A Latvian court fined a man and his company €70,200 for importing Russian-origin timber in violation of EU sanctions. The shipment of 1,260 laminated timber units was declared using incorrect customs codes. The timber was confiscated and the proceeds from its sale will be transferred to the state budget.

Sweden has detained the cargo vessel Caffa, which appears on Ukraine’s sanctions list. The ship, sailing under a Guinean flag, is suspected of operating under a false registration and being involved in the transportation of grain stolen from occupied Crimea. The operation took place near the city of Trelleborg with the participation of the coast guard and police.

4️⃣ Ukraine’s Sanctions Policy

A Ukrainian court has sentenced Crimean propagandist Oleg Kryuchkov in absentia to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property. Prosecutors proved that he spread war propaganda, justified the occupation, and oversaw a network of pro-Russian media outlets in occupied territories. Kryuchkov is also under sanctions imposed by Ukraine, the EU, Switzerland, and Japan.