EU Agrees to Provisional Deal Lifting Sanctions on Oligarchs Usmanov and Fridman, Drawing Ukrainian Rebuke

European Union diplomats announced a provisional agreement to remove Russian businessmen Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman from the bloc's sanctions list. The decision, reached on Monday, is tied to a broader compromise that extends existing sanctions on nearly 3,000 other Russian individuals and entities for an expanded period of three years. Diplomats noted that the delisting agreement remains subject to final confirmation if no EU government objects in writing within hours of the announcement.

The push to drop the two prominent billionaires emerged from internal EU negotiations. According to diplomatic sources, France—alongside Slovakia—advocated for the removal of Russian-Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov, while Luxembourg pushed for the exclusion of Mikhail Fridman. European reports indicated that France's stance followed pressure linked to detained French nationals in Azerbaijan, though senior Azerbaijani officials rejected those claims.

The move drew an immediate and severe reaction from Ukrainian authorities. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga condemned the decision as unacceptable, warning that easing restrictions on high-profile figures sends the wrong signal to Moscow at a time when international pressure should be intensified rather than relaxed.

Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas urged member states to maintain a long-term framework for sanctions against Russia. Speaking after a meeting of European foreign affairs ministers, Kallas emphasized the necessity of stability and prolonged economic pressure as the bloc works to finalize the sanctions rollover.

The diplomatic friction unfolded against a backdrop of ongoing military escalation. In Russia, industry sources reported that crude oil processing at the major Moscow refinery, owned by Gazprom Neft, was forced to halt following fires at its primary crude distillation units triggered by a Ukrainian drone attack. The facility's AVT-6 and EURO+ processing units sustained damage that officials estimate could take weeks to repair, cutting off fuel supplies from the St. Petersburg exchange.

Further compounding regional tensions, the Russian defense ministry claimed its forces struck multiple strategic targets in Ukraine, including military-linked cargo vessels, Izmail port infrastructure, a gas distribution station, and a logistics center in the Kyiv region. In response to the intensifying aerial bombardments, Poland initiated preventive military aviation operations in its airspace to secure national borders, maintaining high readiness among ground air defense and radar units.

The United Nations warned that mounting infrastructure strikes by both sides are severely endangering civilians as Europe faces another winter of conflict. UN investigators highlighted the catastrophic impact of previous cold seasons, noting that systematic attacks on Ukraine's energy grid left millions without reliable power or heating, leading to cold-related injuries and fatalities.

On the diplomatic front, preparations continued ahead of the UN General Assembly in New York. French President Emmanuel Macron planned bilateral talks with US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. French officials stated that Macron aims to encourage continued international backing for Kyiv and press for coordinated strategies against Moscow. Separate reports indicated that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently met with US CIA chief John Ratcliffe at Shannon Airport in Ireland to discuss sensitive matters.

In corporate developments, Nestle's Russian subsidiary announced its intention to continue commercial operations despite a Kremlin decree transferring its local assets, alongside those of French retailer Auchan, to temporary management under a little-known firm called L.E.V. Management. The Swiss food giant stressed that the transfer does not constitute nationalization or a change in ownership and pledged to uphold commitments to its employees and partners.