Hungary secures exemption of Patriarch Kirill from 15th EU sanctions package

This was reported by the Russian media.

The restrictions of the 15th EU sanctions package apply to 54 individuals and 30 legal entities “responsible for actions that undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.”

The sanctions targeted top managers of Russia's leading energy companies, individuals involved in the deportation of children, propaganda and sanctions circumvention, as well as two high-ranking officials of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The EU imposed sanctions against 52 third-country vessels used to circumvent the previously imposed restrictive measures. This brought the total number of sanctioned vessels to 79.

The list includes a chemical plant and a Russian civilian airline that provides important logistical support to the Russian military.

For the first time, full-fledged sanctions were imposed on Chinese companies supplying components for drones and microelectronics that support Russian aggression against Ukraine.

Companies from India, Iran, Serbia, and the United Arab Emirates were subject to restrictions for participating in sanctions circumvention or purchasing sensitive goods such as UAVs and missiles for Russia.

The sanctions list also includes the military unit responsible for the shelling of the Ohmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kyiv.

It should be noted that Hungary is seeking to remove Russian Orthodox Church leader Kirill from the EU sanctions list for the third time.

In 2023, Kirill congratulated Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on his 60th birthday and awarded him the Order of Glory and Honor, first degree, “for his contribution to strengthening traditional moral values in European society.”