In a Monday statement, the EU Commission announced that it had adopted a fifteenth package of sanctions for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This included tougher measures towards Chinese entities, and an increase in vessels from Moscow’s shadow fleet.

The new sanctions package includes 52 vessels that are part of the shadow fleet, which tries to circumvent Western restrictions in order to move oil and grain. The total number of vessels listed now stands at 79.

In response to the increase in cargo-transporting vessels that do not have insurance or are not regulated by Western conventional providers, the EU added ships in early this year. This list included ships that transported North Korean ammunition from Russia to the EU.

The new restrictions include 84 individuals and entities including seven Chinese people and entities.

The statement referred to the Chinese listing and said that "namely one individual, two entities, and four entities, which supply sensitive drone components, microelectronics components, to the Russian military."

These Chinese sanctions will be the nation's first full-fledged sanction, which includes a travel ban as well as a freeze on assets.

The Chinese will be sent a strong message by the full-fledged sanction. "We take this very serious," said an EU diplomat.

David O'Sullivan, the EU's chief sanctions officer and Ukrainian officials pointed out that China was the primary route through which foreign technology is sold to Russia.

Diplomats have said that the Chinese sanctions listed in previous Russian sanctions packages were only export controls and not a general sanction.

The list also includes two senior North Korean officials, 20 Russian companies in India, Iran and Serbia, and 20 Russian entities in the United Arab Emirates, United Arab Emirates, and Serbia.

The EU has taken some measures to reduce the burden placed on central securities depositories in Europe, like Euroclear of Belgium, who are responsible for Russia's central bank assets. The Group of Seven nations (G7) agreed earlier this year to use over $300 billion of frozen funds as collateral for a $50 billion loan to Ukraine to assist it in fighting Russian forces.

Sources have confirmed that the Commission is working on a 16th set of sanctions to be implemented in January. These may include broader measures, such as limiting exports by EU subsidiaries from third-country countries and Russian liquefied gas. Sources: (Reporting and Editing by Ros Russel)

(source: Reuters)