EU sanctions target individuals, organizations behind Russia’s disinformation and sabotage operations therecord.media/eu-sancti…

The European Union has unveiled a new sanctions package targeting individuals and entities linked to Russia’s hybrid warfare efforts, including its disinformation, sabotage and espionage campaigns across Europe and Africa.

Among those sanctioned are members of the Russian military intelligence unit GRU, as well as individuals involved in promoting Kremlin narratives through social media campaigns. The EU also targeted companies providing critical support to these activities, including web hosting services and GPS jamming equipment.

The round of sanctions is part of a broader European strategy to counter Russia’s ongoing hybrid warfare activities, which have escalated since the start of the war in Ukraine. It also marks the second time the EU has targeted Russian disinformation networks.

One of the sanctioned disinformation networks, Prague-based Voice of Europe, is engaged in “media manipulation and distortion of facts” through its website and accounts on Facebook, YouTube, Telegram and X. The organization was secretly financed and directed by Viktor Medvedchuk, a pro-Russian Ukrainian politician and businessman with close ties to the Kremlin.

Another entity linked to Russian disinformation campaigns is the U.K.-based web hosting service provider Stark Industries, along with two Moldovan nationals operating it. According to previous reports, Stark Industries has become a central hub for large-scale cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns, including Kremlin-backed Doppelgänger. Its infrastructure is often used by Russian hacktivist groups and cybercriminals.