MOSCOW, July 13. /TASS/. EU ambassadors failed to agree on the 21st package of sanctions ahead of a meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers in Brussels, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said.

The United Kingdom expanded its anti-Russian sanctions list by 10 entries and added 14 new names to its cybersecurity-related sanctions list.

The European Union imposed restrictive measures on the legal entity behind the Max messenger, according to EU documents. It also placed Russian technology company VK, which owns the VKontakte and Odnoklassniki social networks, as well as a number of other domestic digital services, on its sanctions list.

TASS has compiled the key facts about the new restrictions.

UK sanctions

- The United Kingdom imposed sanctions on GRU officers allegedly involved in cyber operations targeting Britain, as well as on the Rybar military analytical center, according to the updated sanctions list published on the UK government's website.

- In total, London expanded its anti-Russian sanctions list by 10 entries and added 14 new names to its cybersecurity-related sanctions list.

- In addition to the alleged GRU officers, sanctions were imposed on operators of the Lumma Stealer malware.

- The Impulse company was also added to the sanctions list.

- The restrictions, which include entry bans to the United Kingdom and asset freezes if any assets are found, were also imposed on Rybar staff members Denis Vulf, Valeria Zvinchuk, Tatyana Kosterova, Alexander Kan, Olga Kuznetsova, Natalya Chebotayeva, Maxim Matveyev, Evgeny Grebnev, and Daria Roslyakova.

- The UK government claims that the Rybar center, which was added to its sanctions list in December 2025, is involved in activities aimed at "destabilizing Ukraine."

EU sanctions

- The European Union imposed additional restrictive measures against Russia targeting nine individuals and four entities over alleged cyberattacks against targets in EU member states, according to a statement released by the office of EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.

- Kallas said that, "in response to malicious cyber activities," the EU had "imposed sanctions on nine individuals and four entities," including "Russian intelligence officers, private hackers, and private companies," which Brussels alleges "assist Russia in destabilizing the EU, its member states, and foreign partners."

- The sanctions include entry bans to the European Union and the freezing of any bank assets belonging to the listed individuals and entities, should such assets be found within the bloc.

Sanctions on VK and Max

- The European Union imposed sanctions on the legal entity behind the Max messenger, according to EU documents.

- The sanctions target Communication Platform LLC.

- Earlier this year, the company changed its name to Max LLC.

- The EU cited a number of allegations against the Max messenger to justify its inclusion on the sanctions list.

- The European Union also placed Russian technology company VK, which owns the VKontakte and Odnoklassniki social networks, as well as a number of other domestic digital services, on its sanctions list.

- The EU Council said the sanctions were imposed because VK is the parent company of Communication Platform LLC, the developer of the national Max messenger.

- VK said the EU sanctions would not affect its operations or those of the Max messenger, the company told TASS.

- The company added that its applications and services remain available to users as usual.

Work on 21st sanctions package

- Ambassadors of the EU's 27 member states failed to agree on the 21st package of sanctions ahead of the meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Kaja Kallas said.

- According to her, work on the package has not been completed.

- Kallas said that instead of adopting the 21st package, which envisages new energy, banking and export restrictions against Russia, EU foreign ministers will approve the blacklisting of 250 individuals "engaged in various activities."

- She stressed that this would constitute the "largest tranche" of interim personal sanctions.

 

- Earlier, Euractiv reported that EU member states had failed to agree on a European Commission proposal to ban participants in Russia's special military operation from entering the EU because the measure could not be implemented technically.