European Union foreign ministers meeting Monday will impose sanctions on Russian intelligence agents over “hybrid” attacks against the bloc, diplomats said Friday.
The EU and NATO have accused Moscow of being behind a spate of incidents aimed at destabilizing the West, as the two sides are at loggerheads over the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine.
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Authorities in several EU countries – including Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia – have reported uncovering plots or incidents including arson attacks masterminded by the Kremlin in recent months.
Beyond that, European countries say Moscow is responsible for cyber attacks and seeking to undermine elections in the West.
Diplomats in Brussels said the EU would blacklist 16 individuals and three entities under a new legal framework to impose visa bans and asset freezes on those involved in the attacks.
One diplomat said that among those targeted would be officials from Russian military intelligence and other agencies in Moscow.
European officials say they believe the Russian actions are aimed in part at undermining support for Kyiv as Moscow’s war grinds on through a third year.
EU nations – along with the United States – have provided the vast bulk of support for Ukraine since the Kremlin launched its all-out invasion in February 2022.
The EU will also on Monday impose a 15th round of sanctions on Russia over its war on Ukraine aimed at hampering the Kremlin’s war machine.
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In a bid to curb malign activities by Moscow, a number of EU countries spearheaded by Prague have been pushing to introduce measures to stop Russian diplomats from moving freely around the bloc.
There has so far been no overall support for the move and Hungary – the friendliest country to Moscow in the bloc – recently upset its EU counterparts by relaxing visa rules for Russians.
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