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Kremlin shrugs off new EU sanctions, citing Russia's built-up immunity

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 19 July 2025 10:33 AM

Russia says it has developed a degree of resilience to Western sanctions and learned to adapt, following the EU's 18th round of punitive measures targeting Moscow's oil industry.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov decried the new sanctions as "illegal" and warned of "consequences" for the countries that back such unilateral restrictions.

"So far, we see a fairly consistent anti-Russian line in Europe. We have repeatedly said that we consider such unilateral restrictions illegal, we oppose them," he said.

"But at the same time, of course, we have already acquired certain immunity from sanctions, we have adapted to life under sanctions," the Kremlin spokesman added.

"We need to analyze the new package in order to minimize its consequences. But, in addition, each new package adds a negative effect for the countries that join it. This is a double-edged sword."

Russian officials also blasted the restrictions as a violation of international law, praising Moscow's effectiveness in getting around them.

The European Union on Friday added 23 Russian companies to its black list as part of the bloc's 18th sanctions package aimed at dealing blows to the Russian oil and energy industry over the Ukraine war.

The anti-Russian restrictions affect 1,958 individuals and 641 legal entities, bringing the total number of names on the black list to more than 2,500, which marks a record.

The new raft of EU sanctions is also targeting Russia's banking sector to limit the Kremlin's ability to raise funds or carry out financial transactions.

The European Commission, the EU's executive branch, had earlier proposed to lower the oil price cap from $60 to $45, which is lower than the market price, to target Russia's vast energy revenues. The price cap on Russian crude oil has been fixed at $60 per barrel since December 2022.

The EU hoped to get major international powers in the Group of Seven countries involved in the price cap to broaden the effect, but the latest conflict in the West Asia region pushed up oil prices.

Also on Friday, a further 105 vessels belonging to the "shadow fleet", the tankers that Moscow allegedly employs to bypass the price cap, have been denied access to EU ports and EU services, bringing the "shadow fleet" blacklist to more than 400 vessels.

Russia launched what it called a special military operation in Ukraine in February 2022, partly to prevent NATO's eastward expansion after warning that the US-led military alliance was following an "aggressive line" against Moscow.

The Western countries have been escalating the war through the unbridled supply of advanced weaponry to Kiev.

After returning to the White House in January, US President Donald Trump scaled back support for Ukraine, said Washington's aid is a drain on the US taxpayer, and criticized Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky for being an obstacle to peace.

Following months of unsuccessful efforts to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine, Trump backtracked on his decision not to send weapons to Ukraine, and on July 7, announced that he would begin approving shipments to Ukraine comprised mostly of "defensive weapons."

Since the start of the Ukraine war, the US has provided Ukraine with billions of dollars in military assistance despite Russia's warnings that continued military support for Kiev will only prolong the conflict.