On 13 July 2026, the Council of the European Union imposed restrictive measures on 15 individuals and one entity for serious human rights violations against Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilian detainees in occupied Ukrainian territories and Russia. The sanctions, adopted under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime and a separate Russia-specific regime, target perpetrators of torture, degrading treatment, and killings, including those responsible for the 2022 Olenivka prison massacre and systematic abuse in Russian penal colonies. Those listed face asset freezes and travel bans, with EU citizens and companies prohibited from making funds available to them.
The decision builds on the EU's Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime established on 7 December 2020, which allows the EU to target individuals and entities involved in genocide, crimes against humanity, and other serious abuses worldwide. It also follows the adoption on 27 May 2024 of a dedicated sanctions regime for Russia, aimed at those responsible for human rights violations, repression of civil society, and undermining democracy and the rule of law in Russia. The Council's action aligns with the European Council conclusions of 23 March 2023, which stressed full respect for international humanitarian law and accountability for violations in Russia's war against Ukraine.
Among those sanctioned is Dmitry Neelov, first deputy head of the Olenivka prison in Donetsk region, directly responsible for the mass killing of Ukrainian prisoners on 28-29 July 2022 by delaying evacuation after a Russian attack. Also listed is Alexei Khavetsky, deputy head of security at Penal colony no. 7 in Pakino, Russia, who orchestrated systematic mistreatment including electric shocks, starvation, and sexual violence. Yan Zanevsky, an FSB officer involved in illegal detention and torture in occupied Kherson, Mykolaiv, and Zaporizhzhia regions, is also targeted. The entity sanctioned is the Pre-trial detention center-2 Taganrog (SIZO 2), where journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna died after a year of detention showing signs of torture. Additionally, seven individuals from Penal Colony No 10 in Udarny, including its head Alexander Gnutov and medical unit head Galina Mokshanova, were listed under the Russia-specific regime for abuses against Ukrainian civilians and POWs, including electric shocks, mock executions, and denial of medical care.
The sanctions impose an asset freeze and travel ban on listed individuals, and EU citizens and companies are forbidden from making funds available to them. The EU reiterated its condemnation of torture and killings of Ukrainian detainees and called for unhindered access by independent monitors, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, and accountability for serious violations of international humanitarian law. The legal acts were published in the Official Journal of the EU on 13 July 2026.