In a significant escalation in late December 2025, the European Union has implemented a series of new measures designed to cripple Russia’s ability to fund its war efforts and to counter non-military destabilization tactics.
On December 18, 2025, the EU added 41 vessels to its sanctions list. These ships are part of an opaque network known as the “shadow fleet”—tankers that use deceptive tactics like reflagging and disabling GPS tracking to export Russian oil above Western price caps.
These vessels are now banned from all EU ports and denied essential maritime services (such as insurance or refueling). This brings the total number of sanctioned Russian-linked vessels to nearly 600. The EU also sanctioned companies in the UAE and Vietnam, as well as officials from major Russian oil firms like Rosneft and Lukoil, who facilitate these shipping operations.
The EU has also targeted 12 individuals and two entities accused of “hybrid warfare”—tactics that involve digital and psychological pressure rather than traditional combat. Sanctions were placed on the 142nd Separate Electronic Warfare Battalion and the GRU’s Unit 29155. These groups are blamed for recent GPS signal failures in EU states and cyberattacks on government infrastructure.
Notable foreign-policy analysts and pro-Russian influencers were sanctioned for spreading Kremlin propaganda and conspiracy theories meant to destabilize NATO and the EU.
While sanctions continue to squeeze Russia, the EU reached a major agreement to support Ukraine’s economy for 2026–2027. The EU will provide a €90 billion interest-free loan. This money will be raised through joint EU borrowing, rather than using frozen Russian assets immediately. Ukraine is only expected to pay this back once Russia pays war reparations.
Approximately €210 billion in Russian assets remain frozen in the EU (mostly in Belgium). For now, these assets serve as a “guarantee” or “security” for the loan while legal debates continue over whether the EU can seize them outright.
UK Sanctions Russian and Chinese Groups Over Information Warfare
