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Almaz-Antei files lawsuit with European General Court to argue sanctions

Almaz-Antei was put on the US and EU sanctions lists in 2014

MOSCOW, May 22. /TASS/. Russia’s antiaircraft system developer JSC VKO Concern Almaz-Antei has filed a lawsuit with the General Court of the European Union in Luxembourg on Friday to cancel sanctions against the company. The company has also turned to the EU General Secretariat in Brussels demanding explanations regarding its inclusion in the EU sanctions list, the Almaz-Antei press service said in a release, received by TASS.

"The concern’s inclusion in the sanctions lists is unreasonable and violates the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and since there are no proofs the company is involved in destabilising of the situation in Ukraine," the press service quotes Almaz-Antei Director General Yan Novikov.

Almaz-Antei says from the moment of its establishment the company had not supplies weapons to Ukraine. "The European Union Council has not provided any other proofs of our involvement in the destabilizing of the situation in Ukranie."

"In the lawsuit, the Concern demands revision of actual terms and offering proofs or any other related information, which the EU has used to put the company on the "sanctions lists"," the company said. Almaz-Antei has filed a lawsuit to cancel the EU Council’s decision on the company and the Executive Regulations, which "freeze assets" of the company.

The Concern has hired experts of the Taylor Wessing LLP, which "will participate in the court and extrajudicial processes and talks representing the company."

Almaz-Antei was put on the US and EU sanctions lists in 2014. Washington announced the decision in mid-July - at that time the US announced "blocking sanctions" against many defence industry’s companies, thus stopping or freezing all their assets in American banks, if found. The European Union followed suit in late July. The company was also on the list of new sanctions, which the EU and the US announced later on in September.