Johanna Asplund (UK), Author at Global Sanctions and Export Controls Blog

EU adopts 21st Russia sanctions package

July 29, 2026 By Paul Amberg (Spain), Ben Smith (UK), Johanna Asplund (UK), Seher Budak (Sweden) and Maria Aristegui (Spain) 7 Mins Read

On 23 July 2026, the European Council adopted its 21st package of Russia sanctions as well as additional measures targeting Belarus. The package concentrates on sectors with the greatest impact on Russia’s war economy, including energy, shipping, gold, financial services (including crypto), trade, and the Russian military-industrial complex. Key elements include a full-year suspension of the oil price cap adjustment, a new tool allowing transaction bans on named refineries that process Russian crude (listing one…

UK Financial Conduct Authority publishes report indicating that financial institutions must do more to prevent sanctions breaches: key takeaways

May 29, 2026 By Tristan Grimmer (UK), Mark Simpson (UK), Sven Bates (UK), Caitlin McErlane (UK), Philip Annett (UK), Julian Godfray (UK) and Johanna Asplund (UK) 9 Mins Read

On 28 May 2026, the UK Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) published a detailed report outlining steps that financial institutions take to comply with sanctions requirements, including examples of good and poor practice. The report addresses both financial and trade sanctions measures, with financial institutions managing risks arising from their own activities and those of their customers. The report follows the FCA’s engagement with over 150 FCA-supervised firms since February 2022, and builds upon the FCA’s…

Webinar summary: Russia sanctions – the end of the beginning? – Tuesday 3 June

June 10, 2025 By Ben Smith (UK), Olof Konig (Sweden), Judith Mulholland (UK), Philippe Reich (Switzerland), Michael Amberg (UK) and Johanna Asplund (UK) 2 Mins Read

As part of the Annual Compliance Conference webinar series, this session explored the evolving global sanctions landscape in relation to Russia, over three years since the first wave of sanctions following the outbreak of war in February 2022. The panel examined the current state of play, recent developments, and what may lie ahead for businesses navigating this complex environment. Sanctions developments:Speakers provided updates on the 17th EU sanctions package (May 2025), including measures targeting the…

New UK Sanctions on Russia: Impact on Military Supply Chains and Financial Institutions

May 21, 2025 By Sven Bates (UK), Michael Amberg (UK), Johanna Asplund (UK) and Kayan Sayeed (UK) 2 Mins Read

The UK yesterday announced a new wave of sanctions targeting Russia’s military, energy, and financial sectors, in response to recent drone attacks on Ukraine . The sanctions aim to disrupt military supply chains, and curb financial institutions aiding in sanction evasion, making it difficult to sustain Russia’s war efforts. Key Measures The sanctions cover 100 new targets, consisting of: Among the individuals targeted are a British national who procured ships for Russia’s shadow fleet, marking…