A top European Union court on Wednesday revoked sanctions against Yevgeny Prigozhin’s mother, saying the block was against the actions of her son, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin and the head of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group fighting in Ukraine. failed to prove his role in
The annulment was rare amid EU sanctions against Russia, many of which were imposed immediately, covering some 1,700 individuals and entities, as well as trade sanctions worth tens of billions of dollars.
The European Union blacklisted Violetta Prigozhina, saying her son’s business ties made her complicit in Russia’s aggression against its neighbor.
“The General Court has annulled the restrictive measures imposed on Ms Violetta Prigozhina in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine,” the bloc’s second highest court said.
The ruling stated that the EU had failed to provide evidence of the mother’s role in Prigozhin’s actions, and that her blacklisting was “based solely on her family ties.”
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A court spokeswoman said the decision takes effect if the appeal period of two months and ten days expires, or if the decision is upheld in appeal.
“It is not reassuring, of course everyone in the EU will see the opposite verdict,” an EU official said on condition of anonymity because of the legal nature of the matter. “But we have yet to analyze it and understand the rationale, perhaps all is not lost.”
Prigozhin did not immediately respond to a request for comment and Reuters could not immediately contact his mother for comment.
Prigozhina and an attorney for her law firm did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The European Union blacklisted Violetta Prigozhina a year ago on February 24, a day before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, meaning she could not travel to the bloc and freezing her assets held in the union. was given.
