The Council of the European Union on 13 July 2026 imposed restrictive measures on four individuals and five entities responsible for serious human rights violations in Russia, targeting the use of new technologies to suppress freedom of expression and association. The listings include VK Company (VKontakte) and its subsidiary Communication Platform, which developed the Max App—pre-installed on all mobile devices sold in Russia and equipped with extensive surveillance features used to repress critics of Russia's war in Ukraine. Also sanctioned are Citadel, VAS Experts, and Norsi-Trans, companies involved in manufacturing and selling hardware and software for the System of Operative Investigative Measures (SORM), a surveillance system monitoring phone calls, emails, and social networks to target journalists, opposition figures, and minority groups. The four individuals hold leadership positions in these firms. The sanctions, comprising asset freezes and travel bans, bring the total to 98 individuals and seven entities listed under the EU's Russia human rights sanctions regime established in March 2024 following the death of Alexei Navalny. The regime also includes trade restrictions on equipment that could be used for internal repression or telecommunications interception. The EU condemned the continuing deterioration of human rights in Russia, particularly in the context of its war against Ukraine.
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