New EU sanctions introduced to weaken Russia's war machine also include a renewed ban on symbolic goods that do not necessarily affect strategic industries. This was reported by EUobserver, citing a 146-page list of goods that will no longer be exported to Russia.
The main aim of the €11bn-a-year trade embargo is to stop sales of high-tech goods that can be used in Russian weapons systems. According to documents seen by EUobserver, these include electronics, lasers, radio equipment, software, avionics, marine cameras, and rare-earth minerals.
Another part of the new trade ban aims to strike at Russia's industrial potential more broadly. The list includes "bidets, lavatory pans, flushing cisterns and similar sanitary ware," as well as LEDs, hemp yarn, fork-lift trucks, mail-sorting machines, chimney pots, bricks, tyres, etc.
The EU sanctions are due to take effect by February 24, the first anniversary of the full-scale war.
