Russia Tells EU to Scrap all Sanctions on Russians as Oligarch Deal Sparks Crisis
Last update: September 22, 2026
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What if all 3,000 Russians under EU sanctions suddenly had their travel bans and frozen assets lifted overnight? That's exactly what the Kremlin is demanding today.
So, here's the drama unfolding in Brussels, as reported by cbinews.tv.
Russia has told the European Union it should lift sanctions on every single Russian, not just two billionaires.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday, September 22, 2026: “We believe these sanctions must be lifted both for Usmanov and Fridman, and for all Russian businessmen, as well as for all Russian citizens.” He called the whole package of EU asset freezes and travel bans “illegal”.
Why now? The 27 EU nations are in a proper stalemate. The bloc was reportedly ready to take Uzbek-born metals tycoon Alisher Usmanov and Russian banking billionaire Mikhail Fridman off the blacklist, after pressure from France, Luxembourg and Slovakia, who want a new 3-year renewal deal to lock in sanctions on around 3,000 other individuals and entities.
But Latvia has said no. And because all EU sanctions decisions need unanimous backing, the entire renewal, which expires at midnight tonight, is now hanging by a thread.
The EU first hit Russia with these personal sanctions after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Usmanov, once one of the UK’s richest men and a former Arsenal football club shareholder, and Fridman, founder of Alfa-Bank, have both fought long legal battles in European courts to overturn their listings.
This isn’t just about yachts and oligarchs. These sanctions are one of the few non-military tools the EU has to put pressure on Moscow while the war drags on. If the deal collapses because of this row, thousands of travel bans could technically lapse, a huge win for the Kremlin and a nightmare for Ukraine.
All eyes on Brussels before midnight. Either Latvia blinks, France and co. drop their demand to delist Usmanov and Fridman, or we see an unprecedented sanctions blackout. The Kremlin will be watching very closely.
Source: cbinews.tv
#Russia #EUSanctions #UkraineWar #Usmanov #Fridman #EU #Kremlin #Geopolitics #WorldNews #cbinews
Written by Babatimilehin kayode
Posted by Babatimilehin kayode · Last updated: September 22, 2026
