At least five oligarchs have bank accounts in Cypriot banks

At least five people from the EU sanctions list have accounts in Cypriot banks. Following the second list of sanctions issued by the Council of the European Union against Russia for the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Kathimerini was informed that 5 accounts, of a list of 50, were found in Cypriot banks.  These accounts will be frozen immediately. 

The investigation is based on two European Council lists issued from the first day of the Russian invasion.

According to Kathimerini's banking sources, the exposure of banks in Russia is limited due to the measures they have taken to close accounts without opening new ones in the last 6-7 years.  This is the reason the EU is targeting individuals.

"For instance, if these developments with the Russian invasion took place six or seven years ago, the impact on the Cypriot banks would be quite large on many levels," said the same sources.

Last Monday, the Council extended its sanctions to another 26 individuals and one entity.

The new list, the Council notes, includes oligarchs and businessmen active in the oil, banking and financial sectors, as well as government members, high-ranking military figures and propagandists who have contributed to the spread of anti-Ukrainian propaganda and promoted a positive stance to the invasion of Ukraine.

The sanctions imposed include the seizure of assets and a ban on the allocation of funds to listed individuals and entities. In addition, entry or transit through EU territory will be prohibited for such persons under a relevant travel ban.

Nominal sanctions

In addition to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the Council of Europe has issued two lists of sanctions, one on February 23 and the other on February 28.

The first list released on 23 February included the following individuals:

Sergei SHOIGU, Anton VAINO, Marat KHUSNULLIN, Dmitriy Yuryevich GRIGORENKO, Maxim Gennadyevich RESHETNIKOV, Nikolay Anatolyevich YEVMENOV, Vladimir Lvovich KASATONIC SEV, Serge Serge Violetta PRIGOZHINA, Lyubov Valentinovna PRIGOZHINA, Denis Aleksandrovich BORTNIKOV, Andrei Leonidovich KOSTIN, Igor SHUVALOV, Margarita SIMONYAN, Maria ZAKHAROVA, Vladimir Roudolfovitch SOLOVIEV, Konstantin KNYRIK, Aleksey Konstantov.

The second list included:

Igor Ivanovich Sechin, head of the state oil company Rosneft, Nikolay Petrovich Tokarev, head of the Russian-controlled oil company Transneft, Alisher Usmanov, who has interests in iron and steel companies.

Olegovich Aven, a major shareholder in Alfa Group, one of the country's largest banks, Mikhail Maratovich Fridman, co-founder and major shareholder in Alfa Group, Sergei Pavlovich Roldugin, allegedly laundered large sums of money.

Dmitry Sergeyevich Pescov, Spokesman for President Putin. Dmitry Nikolaevich Chernyshenko, Deputy Prime Minister and Member of the Board of Directors of the Russian Railways, Irek Envarovich Faizullin, Minister of Construction and Housing and Member of the Board of the Russian Railways.

Vitaly Gennadyevich Savelyev, Minister of Transport and Member of the Board of the Russian Railways, Andrey Anatolyevich Turchak, Secretary of the General Council of the United Russia Party accused of promoting NTV. 

Olga Vladimirovna Skabeyeva, Rossiya-1 journalist Alexander Ponomarenko, Sheremetyevo Airport Chairman Modest Alexeyevich Kolerov, REGNUM Editor-in-Chief, Roman Georgievich Babayan, of Moscow, Yevgeniy Nikolaevich Prilepin, journalist and co-chair of the "Fair Russia - Patriots - For the Truth" party, Anton Vyacheslavovich Krasovsky, Russia Today network presenter Arkady Viktorovich Mamontov, Rossiya-1 presenter Sergei Mikhailovich Pinchuk, Admiral and First Deputy Commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Alexey Yurevich Avdeev, Deputy Commander of the Southern Military Administration, Andrey Ivanovich Sychevoy, Lieutenant General and Commander of the 8th Army, Gennady Nikolayevich Timchenko, founder and shareholder of the Volga Group, Alexey Alexandrovits Mordaschov, head of the Severgroup, which State Bank PJSC Promsvyazbank.

Vice Admiral and First Deputy Commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Alexey Yurevich Avdeev, Deputy Commander of the Southern Military Command of Russia, Rustam Usmanovich Muradov, Lieutenant General and Deputy Commander of the Southern Military Command, Andrey Ivanovich Gen. and Volga Group shareholder Alexey Alexandrovits Mordaschov, head of Severgroup, which owns Bank Rossiya, and Peter Mikhaylovich Fradkov, head of state-owned PJSC Promsvyazbank.

Vice Admiral and First Deputy Commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Alexey Yurevich Avdeev, Deputy Commander of the Southern Military Command of Russia, Rustam Usmanovich Muradov, Lieutenant General and Deputy Commander of the Southern Military Command, Andrey Ivanovich Gen. and Volga Group shareholder Alexey Alexandrovits Mordaschov, head of Severgroup, which owns Bank Rossiya, and Peter Mikhaylovich Fradkov, head of state-owned PJSC Promsvyazbank.

Gennady Nikolayevich Timchenko, founder and shareholder of Volga Group, Alexey Alexandrovits Mordaschov, head of Severgroup, which owns Bank Rossiya, and Peter Mikhaylovich Fradkov, head of state-owned PJSC Promsvyazbank.Gennady Nikolayevich Timchenko, founder and shareholder of Volga Group, Alexey Alexandrovits Mordaschov, head of Severgroup, which owns Bank Rossiya, and Peter Mikhaylovich Fradkov, head of state-owned PJSC Promsvyazbank.

On Tuesday, several banks will be blocked from the SWIFT payment system.  According to leaked information, there are 7 banks so far, but Sberbank, one of the two largest banks in Russia, and Gazprombank were not included on the list.

[This article was translated from its Greek original]