On December 18, the Council of the European Union agreed on the twelfth package of sanctions against Russia, RBC reports.

More than 140 individuals and legal entities were subject to restrictions. Among them are Rosfinmonitoring, telecom operator MirTelecom, AlfaStrakhovanie group, Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant, Tupolev design bureau and the Alabuga special economic zone in Tatarstan.

The EU also imposed personal sanctions against the founder and CEO of Microtech, Andrei Khokhlun. A native of Uzbekistan is accused of helping the Russian military industry by re-exporting semiconductors from European countries.

In September, the US Treasury included Khokhlun on the sanctions list.

The EU Council has obliged European exporters to add a clause to their contracts prohibiting the re-export of certain sensitive goods to Russia or to another country for Russian use. Such goods include dual-use technologies and certain aviation products (tires, antenna reflectors, brake pads, including jet fuel).

Such a clause must be introduced into new export contracts by March 20, 2024, and if the contract was concluded before December 19, 2023, then the corresponding clause is added by December 20, 2024.

However, the restriction does not apply to the supply of sensitive goods to “partner countries”, which include the US, UK, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland.

In addition, the EU prohibits the import of Russian diamonds, cast iron, liquefied gas, ferroalloys, iron, copper and aluminum wire and foil from 2024. Exports to Russia of lithium batteries, thermostats, DC motors and servos for drones, some cars, construction products and lasers will be stopped.