Politico: EU Commission backs out of Russian nuclear sanctions

Three diplomats told Politico on Feb. 16 that the EU Commission will not include sanctions against the Russian nuclear sector or its representatives in its latest sanctions package.

In September 2022, Ukraine's Cabinet Ministry imposed sanctions against more than 700 individuals and legal entities from Russia’s state nuclear monopoly Rosatom.

On Feb. 12, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed into law an additional set of sanctions targeting 200 other individuals connected to Russia's nuclear sector.

Rosatom is one of the world's leading suppliers of enriched uranium and nuclear reactors. Many EU countries rely on Rosatom for the construction and maintenance of their nuclear power infrastructure.

"Hungary doesn’t let [sanctions] through, as their nuclear plant is owned by Rosatom and they say it produces 50 percent of the country’s energy supply," one senior EU diplomat is quoted as saying in the Politico piece.

A French economy ministry official also said, "many nuclear power plants use fuel of Russian energy."

The Security Service of Ukraine reported on Feb. 6 that Rosatom-affiliated companies took control of the technological and management processes of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, which is currently under Russian occupation. They also facilitated the connection of the nuclear plant to Russia's energy grid.

Russian occupying forces seized the plant in March 2022 and have continuously used it to launch attacks against Ukrainian-controlled territory.

Ukraine war latest: Kremlin denies preparing withdrawal from Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant

The Kyiv Independent