The EU Court lifted the expired sanctions against Pumpiansky's wife, but retained the new ones.

The EU General Court has lifted expired sanctions against Galina Pumpyanskaya, the wife of Dmitry Pumpyansky, the former owner of the Pipe Metallurgical Company (TMK), but retained new ones, according to court documents.

In September 2025, the EU Court of Justice ruled that the application of the "leading businessman" criterion to her husband, Dmitry Pumpyansky, was unlawful, thereby automatically lifting sanctions against his wife, imposed on the basis of her family ties to Pumpyansky, without considering Galina's other arguments.

Pumpyanskaya explained to the court that she was no longer a "direct family member" of Pumpyansky and was living in Dubai. The EU Council doubted this, arguing that living in Dubai was very expensive and that she could hardly afford it without her husband's support.

The court clarified that only decisions in force before September 15, 2025, would be annulled. However, the EU Council has already imposed new sanctions, extending the restrictions until March 2026, so her name remains on the updated sanctions list.

The EU Council is obliged to pay the legal costs – both its own and Pumpyanskaya’s.

On September 15, the Council of the European Union extended personal sanctions against Pumpiansky for another six months, despite the fact that the General Court of the EU ordered the sanctions to be lifted on September 10.

The EU Council initially imposed sanctions against Pumpyansky in March 2022, when he was Chairman of the Board of Directors of TMK and owner and president of the diversified Sinara Group. Pumpyansky resigned from the board of directors of TMK, ceased to be its beneficiary, and also resigned from the Sinara management and beneficiary list. Subsequently, the EU Council repeatedly adjusted the reasons for Pumpyansky's inclusion on the sanctions list.

The updated wording adds that "his wealth increased significantly in the two years ending May 2025, which contrasts with his claims that he is no longer involved in the business." "He still de facto controls TMK and the Sinara Group," the new justification also states. The EU Council provides no evidence to support these claims.