# EU removes Russian oligarchs from sanctions

> The European Union is delisting two Russian billionaires from its sanctions list, sparking fury in Ukraine over what it sees as appeasement.
- Title: EU removes Russian oligarchs from sanctions · BBC News
- Summary: The European Union is delisting two Russian billionaires from its sanctions list, sparking fury in Ukraine over what it sees as appeasement. The EU's…
- Keywords: european union, russia sanctions, ukraine, alisher usmanov, mikhail fridman, russia, latvia, france, oligarchs, war in ukraine, news, world
- Source: BBC News — https://bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6dj4k98107do
- Published: 2026-09-22T19:06:06.531+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: european union, russia sanctions, ukraine, alisher usmanov, mikhail fridman, russia, latvia, france, oligarchs, war in ukraine, news, world
## EU delists two Russian oligarchs
The European Union is removing sanctions on billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman, who were blacklisted after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
## France and Luxembourg push removal
France campaigned to delist Usmanov citing national security concerns, while Luxembourg sought removal of Fridman, who is suing for frozen assets.
## Ukraine calls move unacceptable
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said the decision sends the wrong signal to Moscow and urged all EU states to impose national sanctions instead.

> Moscow is celebrating because it got what it wanted: a sense of impunity, the humiliation of the EU, and division among Europeans.
## Who is Alisher Usmanov
The Russian-Uzbek billionaire founded USM Holding, which owns iron, steel and copper suppliers, and Megafon telecommunications. He has ties to Arsenal and Everton football clubs.
## Who is Mikhail Fridman
The Russian-Israeli billionaire founded Alfa Group, a major investment conglomerate with interests in energy and banking. He avoided condemning Putin for the invasion.
## Latvia agrees to compromise deal
Latvia initially opposed the delisting but changed its vote to abstention in exchange for extending sanctions on 2,600 other entities for three years and French military support.
## Key takeaway

The EU's decision to remove sanctions on two oligarchs signals division among member states and risks emboldening Moscow, according to Ukrainian officials.