OREANDA-NEWS. The extension by the Council of the European Union of sanctions against legal entities and individuals, including the ex-director of the Federal Penitentiary Service, the head of the Investigative Committee, the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation and the Director of the Russian Guard, is an unsuccessful attempt to exert pressure and will not affect their work. A source in the security forces told Interfax.

"By themselves, such sanctions can be perceived as an unsuccessful attempt at pressure and do not cause anything but irony. And the ban on entry, especially in the current situation, will clearly not affect the current and future plans of those in respect of whom they act," said a spokesman for the agency on Tuesday.

He noted that the extension of the sanctions is beneficial to Western countries, in which the officials and bankers accused in the Russian Federation are hiding and in whose economy are investing.

“The court in absentia found the founder of Togliattiazot, Vladimir Makhlai, guilty of organizing a criminal community, fraud and tax evasion. - Senator Sergei Pugachev, whom the IC of Russia accuses of embezzling tens of billions as part of an organized criminal group. After the bankruptcy, the bank owes creditors more than 70 billion rubles. However, European colleagues do not seek to extradite the fugitive. Certainly, there is a benefit - assets are also now abroad and are replenishing the economy of the union, "the source said.

The EU Council, as it became known the day before, decided to extend for a year sanctions against individuals and legal entities for serious violations of human rights around the world. The sanctions will continue to operate until December 8, 2022 against 14 people and four structures of the Russian Federation. They imply a travel ban as well as an asset freeze. The sanctions include, among other things, the former director of the Federal Penitentiary Service Alexander Kalashnikov, the chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation Alexander Bastrykin, the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation Igor Krasnov and the director of the Russian Guard Viktor Zolotov.