Central Bank of the Russian Federation banned brokers from selling securities on behalf of foreigners | News from Germany about Russia

The Central Bank of Russia prohibits Russian brokers from selling securities on behalf of foreign clients – both individuals and legal entities. The corresponding instruction was posted in several Telegram channels on the topic of investments and comes into force on the morning of Monday, February 28. The authenticity of the document was confirmed to RBC by two unnamed interlocutors from the core area.

This decision was made in connection with “the current crisis situation in the financial market and in order to ensure the protection of the rights and legitimate interests of investors,” the order says. Brokers are required to send the Central Bank a report on the suspension of their operations, it is noted further. The Moscow Exchange canceled the morning trading session on February 28. The opening auction will start at 09.50 Moscow time, the main auction – from 10.00.

New EU sanctions against Russia

Earlier in the day, the European Union limited the ability of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation to use its international reserves. The decision was made within the framework of sanctions against Russia for its military invasion of Ukraine, which caused sharp condemnation of many countries. In addition, the new EU-agreed punitive measures include cutting off a number of Russian banks from the SWIFT international payment services system and the fight against “golden passports”.

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What US and EU sanctions apply to Russia
US sanctions over Navalny’s poisoning
10 Russian, 3 German and 1 Swiss companies were subject to trade sanctions in connection with the poisoning of Alexei Navalny. Washington suspects firms on the March 3, 2021 US Department of Commerce blacklist of involvement in the creation and distribution of chemical weapons. Additional licensing requirements will be introduced in matters of export, re-export and technology transfer to these companies.

What US and EU sanctions apply to Russia
EU against Russian security forces
On March 2, 2021, sanctions against the Russian security forces responsible for the criminal prosecution of Alexei Navalny and human rights violations during the dispersal of peaceful protests in the Russian Federation officially came into force in the European Union. Under the EU sanctions were the head of the Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin, the head of the National Guard Viktor Zolotov, the head of the Federal Penitentiary Service Alexander Kalashnikov and the Prosecutor General of Russia Igor Krasnov.

What US and EU sanctions apply to Russia
US adds Kremlin officials to sanctions list
The United States also imposed personal sanctions for the poisoning and persecution of Navalny. The list includes not only security officials, but also officials: FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov, Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov, Deputy Defense Ministers Pavel Popov and Alexei Krivoruchko, head of the Federal Penitentiary Service and representatives of the presidential administration Sergei Kiriyenko and Andrey Yarin.

What US and EU sanctions apply to Russia
Ban on defense exports to Russia
In addition to personal and trade sanctions, the United States imposed a ban on the export of defense products, technologies and services to Russia. It was also a reaction to the use of chemical weapons against Alexei Navalny and Sergei Skripal. An exception is made only to support intergovernmental space cooperation. Commercial cooperation in space will be limited after a six-month transition period.

What US and EU sanctions apply to Russia
For a cyber attack on the Bundestag
On October 22, 2020, the EU imposed sanctions for a cyber attack on the German Bundestag in April-May 2015. Penalties have been introduced against the head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Igor Kostyukov, officer Dmitry Badin and the 85th Main Center of the Special Service of the Main Directorate of the General Staff. Visa bans are introduced against them, their property in the EU is subject to freezing.

What US and EU sanctions apply to Russia
EU sanctions for the poisoning of Navalny
On October 15, 2020, the EU and the UK imposed sanctions for the poisoning of Navalny against Kremlin officials Andrei Yarin and Sergei Kiriyenko, Putin’s envoy to the Siberian Federal District Sergei Menyailo, FSB head Alexander Bortnikov, Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko and Pavel Popov. Sanctions have also been imposed against an institute where a substance from the Novichok group could be produced.

What US and EU sanctions apply to Russia
The second package of sanctions for the poisoning of the Skripals
On August 26, 2019, the United States introduced a second package of sanctions for the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal. Washington banned its banks from participating in the primary sale of non-ruble sovereign debt and from providing non-ruble loans to Moscow. Restrictions also affected the licensing of exports of goods and technologies controlled by the US Department of Commerce in the fight against the spread of chemical weapons.

What US and EU sanctions apply to Russia
The first sanctions in the history of the European Union for the use of chemical weapons
On January 21, 2019, the EU imposed sanctions for the use of chemical weapons for the first time. The list includes Russians involved in the Novichok nerve agent poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia: the head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Federation Igor Kostyukov, his first deputy Vladimir Alekseev, as well as the alleged perpetrators, GRU officers Anatoly Chepiga and Alexander Mishkin.

What US and EU sanctions apply to Russia
The first package of sanctions for the poisoning of the Skripals
On August 27, 2018, new US sanctions for the use of chemical weapons by Russia came into force. These punitive measures include a ban on the sale of arms and other defense products to Russia, a denial of access to American goods and technology critical to national security, as well as US government loans, credit guarantees, and other financial support.

What US and EU sanctions apply to Russia
The United States punished the oligarchs for Moscow’s interference in the elections
In April 2018, the US Treasury first struck Russian private companies. He imposed sanctions on 24 Russian businessmen from the previously published “Kremlin Report”. Among them were such influential oligarchs as Oleg Deripaska and Viktor Vekselberg. The assets of their companies in the United States are frozen, and Americans are prohibited from doing business with them.

What US and EU sanctions apply to Russia
US sanctions against security forces
In December 2016, the United States imposed sanctions in connection with possible cyber attacks by Russian hackers during the American election campaign. This time, the Main Intelligence Directorate and the Federal Security Service were blacklisted.

What US and EU sanctions apply to Russia
Military-industrial complex under the gun
Sanctions in the military-industrial complex include a ban imposed by the European Union in the summer of 2014 on arms trade with Russia and a ban on the export of dual-use goods for the defense sector to Russia. The United States, in turn, introduced punitive measures against 11 manufacturers of electronics that can be used for the needs of the military industry. The reason for the imposition of sanctions was the conflict in the Donbass and the annexation of Crimea.

What US and EU sanctions apply to Russia
Russian oil industry under sanctions
Both the United States and the EU imposed sanctions on the Russian oil industry in 2014, limiting the work of their companies in the Russian Arctic. Brussels also banned the supply of high-tech equipment for the oil sector to Russia in response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

What US and EU sanctions apply to Russia
The EU introduced restrictive measures against sectors of the Russian economy
On July 31, 2014, the EU introduced sectoral sanctions in response to the actions of the Russian Federation in Ukraine. Five largest Russian banks fell under them – Sberbank, VTB, Gazprombank, Rosselkhozbank and VEB, which had limited access to the EU capital markets. Later, Brussels imposed the same restrictions on three oil companies – Rosneft, Transneft and Gazprom Neft – and three defense enterprises.

What US and EU sanctions apply to Russia
Sectoral sanctions in connection with the events in Ukraine
On July 16, 2014, the United States imposed sanctions on Rosneft and Novatek, as well as Gazprombank and VEB. They cannot receive US debt financing for more than 90 days. It is forbidden to conduct transactions with VEB and Gazprombank. Subsequently, the Bank of Moscow, VTB, Rosselkhozbank and the United Shipbuilding Corporation were added to this list.

What US and EU sanctions apply to Russia
Travel ban and asset freeze
In March 2014, following Russia’s annexation of Crimea, the US and EU imposed sanctions on Russian officials and State Duma deputies. They were denied entry, and their American and European assets were frozen. The sanctions lists, which were subsequently expanded several times, included Federation Council speaker Valentina Matvienko, deputy Leonid Slutsky and adviser to the Russian president Sergei Glazyev.
Author: Irina Filatova, Vitaly Kropman