Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/259 of 29 January 2026 implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s destabilising activities
Date: 2026-01-29
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: EU restrictive measure, Russia, Russo-Ukrainian issue, Ukraine, economic sanctions, international sanctions, natural person, territorial dispute, territorial law








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Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2026/259


29.1.2026







            COUNCIL IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2026/259
         
of 29 January 2026
         
implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s destabilising activities


THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,


Having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 of 8 October 2024 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s destabilising activities (1), and in particular Article 13(1) thereof,


Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,

Whereas:







(1)


On 8 October 2024, the Council adopted Regulation (EU) 2024/2642.












(2)


On 18 December 2025 the EU Delegation to the UN and OSCE in Vienna published a Statement concerning Russia’s destabilising activities in the OSCE region. The EU Delegation underlined that Russia has waged hybrid campaigns against the EU and its Member States for years, with malicious activities further escalating since the beginning of the war of aggression against Ukraine and highly likely to persist in the foreseeable future.












(3)


The Union remains unwavering in its condemnation Russia’s malicious activities directed against the Union, its Member States, international organisations and third countries.












(4)


In view of the gravity of the situation, the Council considers that 6 natural persons should be added to the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies set out in Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2024/2642.












(5)


Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 should therefore be amended accordingly,





HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:



Article 1
Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.


Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on the date of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.




This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 29 January 2026.


For the Council


The President

K. KALLAS
            





(1)  
            OJ L, 2024/2642, 9.10.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/2642/oj.




ANNEX
The following entries are added to Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 under the heading ‘A. Natural persons’:






A.


Natural persons









 


Name


Identifying information


Statement of Reasons


Date of listing




‘60.


Dmitry Viktorovich GUBERNIEV
(Russian: Дмитрий Викторович ГУБЕРНИЕВ)


Function: TV presenter, journalist, sports commentator; advisor to the general director of TV propaganda channel “Russia”; advisor to the Minister of Sports of the Russian Federation
DOB: 6.10.1974
POB: Drezna, Moscow region, USSR (now Russian Federation)
Nationality: Russian
Gender: male


Dmitry Guberniev is a Russian TV presenter, journalist, sports commentator, advisor to the general director of TV propaganda channel “Russia” as well as advisor to the Minister of Sports of the Russian Federation.
Guberniev is a public figure who has been using his popularity and influence in the public sphere to voice Russian propaganda and to justify the ongoing Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. He supported the annexation of Crimea in 2014. He was one of the hosts of the propaganda rally in support of the war of agression against Ukraine, which took place on 18 March 2022 at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. Guberniev has hosted multiple other concerts dedicated to the Russian war machine or to Vladimir Putin.
Dmitry Guberniev was among the trusted representatives of Vladimir Putin in the 2024 presidential elections.
Therefore, Dmitry Guberniev is responsible for, implementing, supporting and benefitting from actions and policies attributable to the Government of the Russian Federation which undermine or threaten democracy, the rule of law, stability and security in the Union and a third country (Ukraine), through the use of information manipulation and interference, and through supporting a violent conflict in a third country.


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61.


Ekaterina Sergeevna ANDREEVA
(Russian: Екатерина Сергеевна АНДРЕЕВА)


Function: Russian television presenter, propaganda journalist, and editor; host and main face of the news program “Vremya” on “Channel One” since 1997
DOB: 27.11.1965
POB: Moscow, Russian SFSR (now Russian Federation)
Nationality: Russian, Montenegrin, Honduran
Gender: female


Ekaterina Andreeva is a leading news anchor of Russian state television. She has been the host and main face of the news program “Vremya” on “Channel One” since 1997.
Andreeva regularly spreads disinformation and propaganda about the war of agression against Ukraine and supports the Russian armed forces and the so-called “Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics”.
She regularly praises Putin’s regime and spreads disinformation and propaganda about Ukraine, as well as the West. Moreover, Andreeva hosted “Direct Line with Vladimir Putin” twice in 2001 and 2007, commented on Putin’s inauguration in 2004, 2012, and 2018, and even commented on the army parade on May 9. Andreeva states that she writes all the leads with no editors.
Therefore, Ekaterina Andreeva is responsible for, implementing, supporting and benefiting from actions and policies attributable to the Government of the Russian Federation which undermine or threaten democracy, the rule of law, stability and security in the Union and in a third country (Ukraine), through the use of information manipulation and interference, and through supporting a violent conflict in a third country.


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62.


Maria Eduardovna SITTEL
(Russian: Мария Эдуардовна СИТТЕЛЬ)


Function: Russian television presenter, propaganda journalist, and editor; host of the news program “Vesti” on the “Rossiya” TV channel since 2001; chairperson of the All-Russian public state organisation “Union of Women of Russia”
DOB: 9.11.1975
POB: Penza, Russian SFSR (now Russian Federation)
Nationality: Russian
Gender: female


Maria Sittel is a leading news anchor of Russian state television. She has been the host and face of the news program “Vesti” on the “Rossiya” TV channel since 2001.
Sittel hosted propaganda rallies in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 and received significant amounts of money for her performance. She is a lecturer at the Ostankino Media Institute (school of Russian propaganda).
She regularly praises Putin’s regime and spreads disinformation and propaganda about the war of agression against Ukraine . Sittel is included in the list of “1 500  Warmongers” (established by the Free Russia Forum, which is a conference of the Russian opposition) and hosted “Direct Line with Vladimir Putin” in 2015.
Therefore, Maria Sittel is responsible for, implementing, supporting and benefiting from actions and policies attributable to the Government of the Russian Federation which undermine or threaten democracy, the rule of law, stability and security in the Union and in a third country (Ukraine), through the use of information manipulation and interference, and through supporting a violent conflict in a third country.


29.1.2026




63.


Pavel Aleksandrovich ZARUBIN
(Russian: Павел Александрович ЗАРУБИН)


Function: journalist, co–host of the program “Moscow. Kremlin. Putin” on the “Russia 1” channel, presenter, interviewer; host of “Direct Line with Vladimir Putin”
DOB: 7.9.1981
POB: Beloretsk, Russian SFSR (now Russian Federation)
Nationality: Russian
Gender: male


Pavel Zarubin is a prominent Russian propagandist with exclusive access to Vladimir Putin’s agenda. He hosts the show “Moscow. Kremlin. Putin,” where he interviews Putin and praises him, calling him an “exceptional leader”.
Zarubin was the first propagandist permitted to interview Putin after the start of the Russian full-scale invasion against Ukraine. He often spreads anti-Ukrainian disinformation, referring to the Ukrainian government as “a regime”, among other things.
In 2025, Zarubin also co-hosted the main propaganda event of that year, “Direct Line with Vladimir Putin”.
Therefore, Pavel Zarubin is responsible for, implementing, supporting and benefiting from actions and policies attributable to the Government of the Russian Federation which undermine or threaten democracy, the rule of law, stability, and security in the Union and a third country (Ukraine), through the use of information manipulation and interference, and through supporting a violent conflict in a third country.


29.1.2026




64.


Roman Vasilyevich CHUMAKOV
(Russian: Роман Васильевич ЧУМАКОВ)


Function: Russian actor and singer
DOB: 8.4.1984
POB: Moscow, Russian SFSR (now Russian Federation)
Nationality: Russian
Geder: male


Roman Chumakov is a Russian actor and singer.
After the beginning of the Russian full-scale war of agression against Ukraine, he actively supported the Russian army. Roman Chumakov often visits soldiers on the frontline and writes patriotic songs. He publicly praises and glorifies Vladimir Putin and also collects money for the Russian armed forces. Chumakov criticises artists who don’t support Russia’s war of agression against Ukraine. According to his worldview, Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus are one nation, and they must be reunited. Chumakov received two state awards from Putin.
Therefore, Roman Chumakov is responsible for, implementing and supporting actions and policies attributable to the Government of the Russian Federation which undermine or threaten democracy, the rule of law, stability and security in the Union and a third country (Ukraine), through the use of information manipulation and interference and through supporting a violent conflict in a third country.


29.1.2026




65.


Sergey Vladimirovich POLUNIN
(Russian: Сергей Владимирович ПОЛУНИН)


Function: ballet dancer and film actor, former rector of the Sevastopol Choreography Academy
DOB: 20.11.1989
POB: Kherson, Ukranian SSR, (now Ukraine)
Nationality: Russian
Gender: male


Sergey Polunin is a Ukrainian-born Russian ballet dancer, former rector of the Sevastopol Choreography Academy, and laureate of the Presidential prize of Young Cultural Figures.
Since the beginning of full-scale war of agression against Ukraine, Polunin has actively supported the Russian army, including by donating money to the Russian armed forces. He has urged others to do the same.
Polunin participates in Kremlin propaganda TV shows and in the channels of internet bloggers, where he explains and defends his belief in the “Russian world” doctrine. Polunin also criticises artists who escaped Russia after the beginning of the full-scale war of agression against Ukraine, and praises the head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov.
Therefore, Sergey Polunin is responsible for, implementing, supporting and benefiting from actions and policies by the Government of the Russian federation which undermine or threaten democracy, the rule of law, stability and security in the Union and a third country (Ukraine), through the use of information manipulation and interference, and through supporting and facilitating a violent conflict in a third country.


29.1.2026’











ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/259/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)