EU Expands Sanctions on Russia, Targets Medvedev's Son and Diamond Trade

The European Commission is proposing a 12th round of sanctions against Russia, including restrictions on individuals such as the son of former president Dmitry Medvedev and a relative of Vladimir Putin. The proposed measures aim to choke off Russia's commercial revenues, including a total ban on the sale of Russian rough diamonds and jewelry made with gems from Siberian mines, potentially removing over €4.5bn a year from Kremlin coffers. The sanctions also target companies and organizations in various sectors, including the arms industry, IT companies with ties to the FSB security services, and private military companies. Additionally, the proposed ban on Russian diamonds is part of a G7 effort to develop an international coordinated diamond ban to deprive Russia of an important revenue source.