On October 31, 2025, in response to the 19th package of EU sanctions, Russia added numerous EU officials to its own stop list, the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Statistics

From 2022 to the present, Moscow has officially announced retaliatory sanctions against representatives of the European Union and European structures 11 times. The names of those subject to retaliatory sanctions and information on the number of such individuals are not published.

Russia's retaliatory measures in 2022

On March 31, Russia expanded the list of representatives from EU member states and European structures banned from entering the country. The restrictions were extended to the top leadership of the European Union, including several European commissioners and top brass, and the majority of MEPs promoting anti-Russian policies. The Russian stop list also included high-ranking officials, including representatives of governments and parliaments of some EU countries, public figures and media workers, "who are personally responsible for promoting illegal anti-Russian sanctions, inciting Russophobic sentiments, and infringing on the rights and freedoms of the Russian-speaking population."

On September 7, Russia expanded sanctions against the European Union as a response measure. According to the Foreign Ministry, "the restrictions apply, in particular, to the top military leadership of the European Union, high-ranking law enforcement officials of the EU member states, representatives of the European commercial organizations involved in arms production and military equipment supplying military products to Ukraine." The persons included in the sanctions list are prohibited from entering Russia, and the Foreign Ministry sent the verbal note to the EU delegation.

On October 25, Moscow, in response to the unfriendly actions of the EU and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), expanded the list of representatives of the EU member states who are banned from entering Russia. The Foreign Ministry explained that "we are talking, among others, about the representatives of the European commercial structures producing weapons and military equipment and involved in supplying their products to the Kiev regime." The restrictions also apply to several PACE deputies. The decision was made after the European Union introduced restrictive measures "aimed at curbing the development of the Russian Federation," as well as after PACE approved another anti-Russian resolution.

Russia's response in 2023

On January 17, in response to the 9th package of EU sanctions, Russia expanded the list of EU representatives banned from entering Russia. According to the Foreign Ministry, it included the heads of EU law enforcement agencies, government and commercial structures that produce and supply weapons and military equipment to Kiev, as well as citizens of EU states "seen in systematic public anti-Russian rhetoric." The restrictions were extended to individual members of the European Parliament.

On June 23, Russia expanded the list of EU representatives banned from entering the country. The Foreign Ministry indicated that the decision was made in response to the 11th EU sanctions package adopted on June 23. The restrictions imposed by Moscow cover "representatives of the law enforcement agencies, government and commercial organizations of the EU countries, citizens of the EU member states involved in providing military assistance to the neo-Nazi regime in Kiev, representatives of the European structures responsible for imposing sanctions against our country and trying to undermine Russia's relations with other states." EU parliamentarians who "promote a confrontational agenda with Russia" have also been sanctioned.

On December 19, in response to the 12th package of EU sanctions, Russia significantly expanded the stop list, which included representatives of EU countries. According to the Foreign Ministry, the new list includes representatives of the law enforcement agencies and citizens of the EU countries who provide military assistance to Kiev, representatives of the European structures involved in the prosecution of Russian officials, as well as those involved in the creation of a "tribunal" against the Russian leadership, advocating confiscation of the Russian assets or the use of profits from them in the interests of Ukraine, supporting sanctions against Russia. The Foreign Ministry said the restrictions also apply to the PACE officials who voted for the resolution on October 13, which is aimed at "blatant interference" in the internal affairs of the country and discrediting the upcoming presidential elections in Russia.

Russia's retaliatory measures in 2024

On February 23, in response to the 13th package of EU sanctions, Russia banned entry to the country to citizens of the union responsible for providing military assistance to Kiev, as well as to persons involved in the persecution of Russian officials and advocating confiscation of Russian state assets. These were representatives of law enforcement agencies and commercial organizations of the EU countries, citizens of the EU member states, representatives of European structures. The list also included representatives of the Council of Europe, members of the legislative assemblies of the European Union, OSCE PA and PACE members, "who systematically make aggressive statements against Russia."

On June 24, in response to the 14th package of EU sanctions, Russia significantly expanded the list of EU representatives who are banned from entering the country. According to the Foreign Ministry, these are representatives of the law enforcement agencies, government and commercial organizations of the EU countries, citizens of the EU member states responsible for providing military assistance to the Kiev regime. Besides, the stop list includes employees of the European structures and government agencies of the EU countries, including those involved in the persecution of Russian officials. The Foreign Ministry also pointed out that the EU continues its confrontational policy towards Russia, and European unilateral restrictive measures are illegitimate, as they circumvent the UN Security Council and only undermine confidence in the EU.

On December 28, Moscow, in response to the 15th package of EU sanctions, significantly expanded the list of citizens of the EU countries who are prohibited from entering the country. This includes representatives of the law enforcement agencies and organizations responsible for military assistance to Kiev. The Foreign Ministry said the restrictive measures also apply to the employees of European structures and government agencies of the EU countries, those responsible for imposing sanctions against Russia and trying to undermine Russia's relations with other states, civil society activists and representatives of the scientific community who "distinguished themselves by their [anti-Russian] rhetoric," deputies of the EU countries and the European Parliament who voted for anti-Russian resolutions and draft laws.

Russia's retaliatory measures in 2025

On March 13, in response to the 16th package of EU sanctions, Russia expanded the list of EU persons who are prohibited from entering the country. The Foreign Ministry said it referred to representatives of the law enforcement agencies, government and commercial organizations of the EU countries, citizens of the EU countries responsible for providing military assistance to Ukraine, conducting activities aimed at undermining Russia’s territorial integrity, organizing a blockade of Russian ships and cargo in the Baltic Sea. The list also includes representatives of the European structures and government agencies of the EU countries involved in the persecution of Russian officials, advocating confiscation of Russian state assets or the use of profits from them in the interests of Ukraine, responsible for sanctions against Russia, etc. Individual representatives of the Council of Europe fell under retaliatory sanctions.

On July 22, Moscow significantly expanded the list of representatives of the European institutions, EU member states and a number of European states that are prohibited from entering Russia. The decision was made in response to the 17th and 18th packages of EU sanctions against Russia. As specified by the Foreign Ministry, these include the persons "responsible for providing military assistance to Kiev, involved in organizing the supply of dual-use products to Ukraine, conducting activities aimed at undermining Russia’s territorial integrity and organizing a blockade of Russian ships and cargo in the Baltic Sea."

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