Russia assured on Tuesday that it will use all available means to circumvent sanctions on Russian diamonds adopted on Monday by the Group of Seven most industrialized countries (G7) and the European Union.
“With greeting [às sanções] of Russian diamonds was to be expected and we are prepared,” Russian Presidency (Kremlin) spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at his daily press conference.
The Kremlin was responding to the twelfth package of sanctions against Russia, announced by the European Council in retaliation for the war in Ukraine.
“I don’t believe there are any ways around these sanctions and we will use them,” he reiterated.
“We will do everything we can to defend and guarantee Russian interests,” Peskov emphasized, adding that “the sectors on which sanctions can be imposed have already been exhausted.”
From January 1, the import of diamonds from Russia will be banned, which earns around 4.5 billion euros annually from the sale of these gemstones.
The ban on the purchase of Russian diamonds cut in a third country will come into effect from March 1, 2024, and from September 1, the ban will be extended to diamonds, jewelry and watches containing diamonds produced in Russian laboratories.
The restrictions are the same as those adopted by the G7 on the 6th during a virtual meeting of the leaders of the seven richest countries.
The sanctions imposed also cover chemical products, lithium batteries, thermostats, DC motors and servo motors for unmanned aerial vehicles (“drones”), machine tools and machine parts.
The ban already in force on the import of crude oil transported by sea and certain petroleum products from Russia to the EU, as well as its maximum ceiling, were also tightened.
In addition, the new restrictive measures will cover more than 120 people and entities, including another 29 entities that “directly support Russia’s military and industrial complex.”
Meanwhile, the European Commission last Tuesday proposed an initiative to identify funds linked to Russian government bonds frozen due to EU sanctions, with the intention of using them to rebuild Ukraine.
The Russian military offensive on Ukrainian territory, launched on February 24 last year, plunged Europe into what is considered the worst security crisis since World War II (1939-1945).
Ukraine’s Western allies have supplied weapons to Kiev and approved successive sanctions packages against Russian interests to try to reduce Moscow’s ability to finance the war effort.
Source: DN
