Russian Railways called on the EU to lift sanctions against the company Sanctions

Russian Railways (RZD) sent a statement to the Council of the European Union calling for the lifting of sanctions against the holding, the company's press service said.

The holding said that the measures are groundless, interfere with doing business, and also contradict the norms of international law and acts of the EU itself. They "are aimed at limiting the ability of Russian Railways to perform socially significant, humanitarian functions" and are discrimination against the Russian population, the company believes.

The holding indicates that the EU Council classifies trains as "luxury items" for Russian citizens and blocks their supply and repair with sanctions. “At the same time, in the EU itself, rail transport is positioned as mass and carbon-neutral,” Russian Railways notes.

Due to EXPORT restrictions on railway equipment, Siemens withdrew from joint ventures with Russian Railways, they recalled: in May, the “daughter” of Siemens Mobility, which produced Lastochka electric trains, freight electric locomotives in RUSSIA, and also served Sapsan, terminated the contract with the holding. Then the representative of Russian Railways reported that the maintenance of trains would continue within the framework of Russian legislation under the guidance and control of the holding.

The Russian Railways press service added that they consider it futile to challenge the sanctions in COURT. However, the company hopes that the EU Council will consider "evidence of violations of international legal norms, the basic principles of EU activity and internal contradictions in sanctions acts."

The European Union imposed sanctions against Russian Railways on February 26, this happened shortly after the Russian authorities recognized the independence of the DPR and LPR and launched a military operation in Ukraine. At the same time, the state-owned company was included in the sanctions list of CANADA, and a month later - the UK.