Zakharova warned of worsening problems in the EU due to sanctions

Maria Zakharova

The new package of EU sanctions will cause social and economic problems in the EU itself, said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

"The current package will have the same effect as all the previous ones - the aggravation of socio-economic problems in the European Union itself," Zakharova said. She noted that EU leaders "are unable to get out of the vicious circle of restrictions and recognize the futility" of pressure on Russia.

The Permanent Mission of Russia to the EU called the ninth package of sanctions illegitimate Politics

Zakharova noted that citizens of European countries were faced with energy shortages and “sanctioned inflation,” and “a real threat of deindustrialization looms over the EU economy.”

On December 16, the European Union published a list of Russians and organizations from Russia that fell under the new sanctions . In particular, it included State Duma deputies, members of the Federation Council, ministers, daughters of the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, officials of the new regions and cultural figures. All political parties represented in the State Duma were subject to restrictions.

The European Union also imposed sanctions against the banking sector. The ban affected the export of goods and technologies related to the space and aviation industries, as well as the export of dual-use goods and technologies. The new package of sanctions banned EU citizens from holding any positions in the governing bodies of all public or state-controlled entities.