Reported by Pjotr Sauer

Two Russian oligarchs have won a surprise victory against EU sanctions over Moscow’s war against Ukraine but remain under punitive measures for the time being.

The European court of justice ruled that the European Council had not presented enough evidence to establish that Petr Aven and Mikhail Fridman were involved in efforts that “undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine”.

EU’s top court annulled sanctions imposed on the pair from 2022-23.

Aven and Fridman were placed on the EU sanctions list shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine. In announcing the sanctions in February 2022, the European Council called Aven “one of Vladimir Putin’s closest oligarchs” and stated that Fridman “has managed to cultivate strong ties to the administration of Vladimir Putin, and has been referred to as a top Russian financier and enabler of Putin’s inner circle”.

Along with dozens of other Russian oligarchs, Aven and Fridman challenged the sanctions in EU courts, describing them as “spurious and unfounded”.

The court of justice ruled on Wednesday that the billionaires should not have been included on the list between February 2022 and March 2023.

Read full report: https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/10/russian-oligarchs-petr-aven-mikhail-fridman-court-ruling-eu-sanctions