The Court of the European Union has decided to uphold sanctions against five Russian businessmen who previously challenged their enforcement. The sanctions list includes Dmitry Pumpyansky, Tigran Khudaverdyan, Viktor Rashnikov, Dmitry Mazepin, and German Khan. All of them were included in the restrictive measures following the onset of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation in February 2022.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Court’s Position on Sanction Criteria
The published court document states that the sanctions were imposed on the businessmen not due to their personal responsibility for the war or direct ties to the Russian authorities, but because of their roles in key sectors of the Russian economy. These sectors generate significant revenue for the Russian budget, which, according to the court, justifies the inclusion of these businessmen in the sanctions lists. During the review of the complaints, the entrepreneurs insisted on their non-involvement in the war and lack of connections with the Russian government.
The justification for the EU court’s decision indicates that the degree of influence of a businessman is assessed based on their significance to the Russian economy, rather than personal connections with the authorities. Sanctions are imposed not because the businessmen are directly linked to the government or personally responsible for the war, but precisely because they play a key role in sectors of the economy that are important for the Russian budget.
Arguments of the Parties and Court’s Decision
In particular, the lawyers for Dmitry Pumpyansky noted that he had left his executive positions at the “Pipe Metallurgical Company” and the “Sinara” group back in March 2022, and therefore, in their opinion, does not meet the criteria of a “leading entrepreneur.” However, the EU court, having considered all circumstances, concluded that the freezing of these businessmen’s assets is a proportional and justified measure of influence on Russia to halt its aggressive actions, even if the entrepreneurs themselves have no direct relation to the war. Thus, the sanctions against Pumpyansky, Khudaverdyan, Rashnikov, Mazepin, and Khan remain in effect.