Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/431 of 23 February 2026 implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1485 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Russia
Date: 2026-02-23
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: EU restrictive measure, Russia, Russo-Ukrainian issue, Ukraine, economic sanctions, human rights, international sanctions, natural person, territorial dispute, territorial law








L_202600431EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2026/431


23.2.2026







            COUNCIL IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2026/431
         
of 23 February 2026
         
implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1485 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Russia


THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

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


Having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2024/1485 of 27 May 2024 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Russia (1), and in particular Article 17(1) thereof,


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

Whereas:







(1)


On 27 May 2024, the Council adopted Regulation (EU) 2024/1485.












(2)


On 30 September 2025, the spokesperson of the European Commission published a statement condemning Russia’s decision to withdraw from the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. According to the statement, that decision clearly demonstrates Russia’s disregard for the protection of human rights.












(3)


The Union remains unwavering in its condemnation of the human rights violations and repressions in Russia.












(4)


In view of the gravity of the situation, the Council considers that eight natural persons should be added to the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies set out in Annex IV to Regulation (EU) 2024/1485.












(5)


Regulation (EU) 2024/1485 should therefore be amended accordingly,





HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:



Article 1
Annex IV to Regulation (EU) 2024/1485 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, 23 February 2026.


For the Council


The President

K. KALLAS
            





(1)  
            OJ L, 2024/1485, 27.5.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1485/oj.




ANNEX
In Annex IV to Regulation (EU) 2024/1485, the following entries are added under the heading ‘A. Natural persons’:










 


Name


Identifying information


Statement of Reasons


Date of listing




‘65.


Aleksei Vasilyevich VALIZER
(Russian: Алексей Васильевич ВАЛИЗЕР)


Position: head of Penal Colony 10 UFSIN in Altai Krai
DOB: 7.9.1982
Nationality: Russian
Gender: male


Aleksei Valizer is the head of Penal Colony 10 UFSIN in Altai Krai. Aleksei Gorinov is a prisoner who has been held in that facility since 17 July 2025. Aleksei Gorinov was sentenced to six years and 11 months of imprisonment for public dissemination of “knowingly false information” about the Russian armed forces and afterwards to three years of imprisonment for “public justification of terrorism”. The Memorial “Support for Political Prisoners” programme recognised him as a political prisoner. While serving a sentence in the penal colony, Gorinov was immediately put in a solitary confinement cell, where he was deprived of medical treatment despite being previously diagnosed with symptoms of tuberculosis. That punishment was automatically extended several times for far-fetched reasons, such as “not holding hands behind back” and “placing glasses and letters on the bedside table”. Valizer, as the head of the penal colony, is responsible for that facility’s policy towards Gorinov.
Therefore, Aleksei Valizer is responsible for serious violations and abuses of human rights and for the repression of civil society and democratic opposition.


23.2.2026




66.


Anton Vladimirovich RYCHAR
(Russian: Антон Владимирович РЫЧАР)


Position: head of Pre-trial Detention Centre 1 UFSIN in the Jewish Autonomous Oblast
DOB: 9.1.1985
Nationality: Russian
Gender: male


Anton Rychar is the head of Pre-trial Detention Centre 1 UFSIN in the Jewish Autonomous Oblast. Pavel Kushnir, a musician with an anti-war stance, was held in that facility from May 2024 until his death on 28 July 2025. He was charged with “public calls for terrorism” for his statements against the Russian authorities. During his imprisonment, he went on a dry hunger strike. According to witnesses’ testimonies, he lost approximately 10 kilograms and looked like “a skeleton”. Other sources stated that Kushnir was beaten in custody by his fellow inmates. A witness also saw a bruise on Kushnir’s face. Anton Rychar is responsible for the conditions of Kushnir’s incarceration, which led to his death due to insufficient medical treatment.
Therefore, Anton Rychar is responsible for serious violations and abuses of human rights and for the repression of civil society and democratic opposition.


23.2.2026




67.


Maksim Aleksandrovich PRILEPSKY
(Russian: Максим Александрович ПРИЛЕПСКИЙ)


Position: head of Penal Colony 5 UFSIN in the Oryol Oblast
DOB: 30.10.1976
Nationality: Russian
Gender: male


Maksim Prilepsky is the head of Penal Colony 5 UFSIN in the Oryol Oblast. Mikhail Kriger is a prisoner held in that facility. On 17 May 2023, he was sentenced to seven years of imprisonment on politically motivated charges of “public justification of terrorism” and “public incitement to hatred and enmity against a social group with the threat of violence”. The Memorial “Support for Political Prisoners” programme recognised him as a political prisoner. While serving his sentence in the penal colony, Kriger was repeatedly put in a solitary confinement in harsh conditions for allegedly being threatened by other inmates. However, according to human rights defenders and Kriger, it was a far-fetched reason and the isolation was motivated by the political nature of his case. Kriger was put in solitary confinement for a period of 90 days and was not allowed to have visits from relatives or to receive letters from outside the penal colony. As a consequence, Kriger went on a hunger strike for 51 days. Prilepsky, as the head of the penal colony, is responsible for that facility’s policy towards Kriger.
Therefore, Maksim Prilepsky is responsible for serious violations and abuses of human rights and for the repression of civil society and democratic opposition.


23.2.2026




68.


Vyacheslav Nikolaevich PISKLOV
(Russian: Вячеслав Николаевич ПИСКЛОВ)


Position: head of Penal Colony 9 UFSIN in Altai Krai
DOB: 15.8.1985
Nationality: Russian
Gender: male


Vyacheslav Pisklov is the head of Penal Colony 9 UFSIN in Altai Krai. Maria Ponomarenko is a prisoner who is being held in that facility. On 15 February 2023, she was sentenced to six years of imprisonment on the charge of spreading “false information” about the Russian armed forces. In March 2025, while she was incarcerated, she was sentenced to 22 additional months in prison for allegedly using violence against prison staff. The Memorial “Support for Political Prisoners” programme recognised her as a political prisoner. While serving a sentence in the penal colony, Ponomarenko was mistreated, including by being repeatedly put in a solitary confinement in harsh conditions for far-fetched reasons and being deprived of medical treatment. This has led to her breakdown and subsequently three suicide attempts, two of which took place in the penal colony. Pisklov, as the head of the penal colony, is responsible for that facility’s policy towards Ponomarenko.
Therefore, Vyacheslav Pisklov is responsible for serious violations and abuses of human rights and for the repression of civil society and democratic opposition.


23.2.2026




69.


Sergei Vladimirovich FILICHEV
(Russian: Сергей Bладимирович ФИЛИЧЕВ)


Position: prosecutor of the Lomonosovsky District Court of Saint-Petersburg
DOB: 1984
Nationality: Russian
Gender: male


As a prosecutor of the Lomonosovsky District Court of Saint-Petersburg, Sergei Filichev requested a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for Dmitry Nikolaevich Skurikhin, an entrepreneur and local politician, on the politically motivated charge of “discrediting” the Russian armed forces. Skurikhin had repeatedly expressed his anti-war and anti-mobilisation sentiments in public.
Therefore, Sergei Filichev is responsible for serious violations of human rights, in particular the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and for the repression of democratic opposition in Russia.


23.2.2026




70.


EVA Alexandrovna GIUNTER
(Russian: Ева Александровна ГЮНТЕР)


Position: judge of the Moskovsky District Court of Saint-Petersburg
DOB: 17.12.1974
Nationality: Russian
Gender: female
Internal passport number: 3299205055
Date of issue: 24.2.2000


As the judge of the Moskovsky District Court of Saint-Petersburg, EVA Giunter sentenced Oleg Vasilievich Belousov, a widower with a dependent adult son with a mental disability, to five-and-a-half years in prison on politically motivated charges of spreading “false information” about the Russian armed forces and for “public calls for extremism”. Giunter also prohibited Belousov from posting material on telecommunication networks, including the internet, for four years. Oleg Belousov was arrested on 28 June 2022 for publishing anti-war material on the VK social media platform.
Therefore, EVA Giunter is responsible for serious violations of human rights, in particular the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and for the repression of civil society in Russia.


23.2.2026




71.


Ilya Alekseevich PLESHKOV
(Russian: Илья Алексеевич ПЛЕШКОВ)


Position: senior investigator of the Moskovsky District of Saint-Petersburg
DOB: 1993
Nationality: Russian
Gender: male


As a senior investigator of the Investigation Department for the Moskovsky District of Saint-Petersburg, Ilya Pleshkov led the investigation on Oleg Belousov, a widower with a dependent adult son with a mental disability, on the politically motivated charge of spreading “false information” about the Russian armed forces. Oleg Belousov was arrested on 28 June 2022 for publishing anti-war material on the VK social media platform. Belousov was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison and given a four-year ban from posting material on telecommunication channels.
Therefore, Ilya Pleshkov is responsible for serious violations of human rights, in particular the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and for the repression of civil society in Russia.


23.2.2026




72.


Andrey Pavlovich SHIBAKOV
(Russian: Андрей Павлович ШИбАКОВ)


Position: judge of the Lomonosovsky District Court of Leningrad region, Saint-Petersburg
DOB: 30.12.1969
Nationality: Russian
Gender: male
Internal passport number: 4001793958


As the judge of the Lomonosovsky District Court of Saint-Petersburg, Andrey Shibakov sentenced Dmitry Nikolaevich Skurikhin, an entrepreneur and a local politician, to one-and-a-half years in prison on the politically motivated charge of “discrediting” the Russian armed forces. Skurikhin had repeatedly expressed his anti-war and anti-mobilisation sentiments in public.
Therefore, Andrey Shibakov is responsible for serious violations of human rights, in particular the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and for the repression of civil society and democratic opposition in Russia.


23.2.2026’








ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/431/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)