The Council of the European Union has imposed sanctions on the Russian company VK, which owns the social network ‘VKontakte’ and several other services, as well as on the legal entity behind the Russian messaging app Makh ‘Communication Platform’ (a subsidiary of VK). An announcement to this effect has been published in the Official Journal of the EU, meaning that the sanctions have already come into force.
A total of 11 individuals and five organisations were added to the sanctions list on 13 July.
The EU statement says that the sanctions are linked to cyber-attacks and other hostile actions by the Russian authorities and associated groups in cyberspace. The press release asserts that the 16th Centre of Russia’s FSB controls several hacker groups responsible for cyberattacks and cyberespionage in Poland, France, Germany and other EU countries. The sanctions have been imposed in coordination with the UK, which also expanded its sanctions list on 13 July.
The Council of the EU accuses VK of handing over to the Russian authorities the data of users who published material criticising the war against Ukraine or other content banned by the authorities. The development of the Makh messaging app is alleged to have taken place under the supervision of the FSB.