EU sanctions Mazyr refinery, seller of Belarus’ petroleum products to Russia

July 24, Pozirk. The Council of the European Union sanctioned the Mazyr oil refinery and the European Trading Company LLC, a company selling Belarusian petroleum products in Russia, the Official Journal of the EU says.

The new restrictions are part of the 21st package of sanctions approved on July 23 to punish Russia for its war against Ukraine and Belarus for continued assistance to Moscow. The EU significantly extended new sanctions against Belarus, harmonizing them with the restrictions imposed on Russia. 

Based in southern Belarus close to the border with Ukraine, the Mazyr refinery is part of the state-run Bielnaftachim petroleum giant, sanctioned by the EU in 2023, and is important to Alaksandar Łukašenka’s regime, the decision noted. The refinery also co-owns the Belarusian Oil Company (BNK), Belarus’ leading exporter of petroleum, associated with entities supporting and benefitting from the Łukašenka regime, according to the document.

European Trading Company LLC is the BNK’s subsidiary and is owned by the three largest oil production enterprises in Belarus, selling products of the Naftan and Mazyr oil refineries in Russia. The company is “associated with, owned and controlled by entities supporting the Łukašenka regime,” the document stressed.

The 21st package of sanctions also includes an extension of the transaction ban to 14 crypto-related service platforms, including those based in Belarus. Other restrictions introduce import bans on goods generating significant revenue for Belarus as well as export restrictions related to the military industry. In particular, the EU expanded the list of goods banned for export to Belarus because they could benefit its defense and security sector.

These include nickel powders, nickel metal and nickel alloys used in corrosion-resistant coatings for jet engines; self-adhesive films used in the aerospace and defense industries; equipment for drones, including ground support equipment, jamming and interception systems, launch systems and servomotors; flight termination systems for UAVs and missiles.

New sanctions aim to “cripple Russia’s economy and war machine,” the European Council said, stressing that they follow “Russia’s recent brutal military strikes deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure, including energy, water and health facilities, cultural and religious sites, and causing severe hardship for the civilian population.”

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EU approves new sanctions against Russia, Belarus

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