The European Union in combination with the UK notched up pressure on the Kremlin on Thursday. They have done this by unveiling sanctions on six Russian officials. These officials have been in connection with the poisoning of opposition leaders and a big-time critique Alexei Navalny.
The new sanctions seriously touch Russian politics. Heading the blacklist of this is Sergei Kiriyenko who is also the chief of domestic policy. His position is in the Kremlin (and a former prime minister), alongside Alexander Bortnikov. Who is the head of Russia’s security agency.
Other top-table names who have been subjected to asset freezes and travel bans also include the Kremlin executive Andrei Yarin. Along with the deputy defence ministers Pavel Popova and Alexei Krivoryuchko. Also the presidential envoy Sergei Menyailo. The research institute is believed to have developed the Novichok. Who is a nerve agent is also included in the list. Shortly after the announcement, Norway and the United Kingdom announced that they would be pursuing identical measures.
According to the well known and renowned former Russian diplomat Vladimir Frolov, the “escalatory” move was designed to signal that the EU was holding Vladimir Putin personally responsible. “It’s a chain of command, custody of weapons kind of logic,” he suggested.
