Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/259 of 29 January 2026 implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s destabilising activities

Official Journal EN of the European Union L series 2026/259 29.1.2026 COUNCIL IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2026/259 of 29 January 2026 implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s destabilising activities THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 of 8 October 2024 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s destabilising activities(1), and in particular Article 13(1) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Whereas: (1) On 8 October 2024, the Council adopted Regulation (EU) 2024/2642. (2) On 18 December 2025 the EU Delegation to the UN and OSCE in Vienna published a Statement concerning Russia’s destabilising activities in the OSCE region. The EU Delegation underlined that Russia has waged hybrid campaigns against the EU and its Member States for years, with malicious activities further escalating since the beginning of the war of aggression against Ukraine and highly likely to persist in the foreseeable future. (3) The Union remains unwavering in its condemnation Russia’s malicious activities directed against the Union, its Member States, international organisations and third countries. (4) In view of the gravity of the situation, the Council considers that 6 natural persons should be added to the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies set out in Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2024/2642. (5) Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 should therefore be amended accordingly, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation. Article 2 This Regulation shall enter into force on the date of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 29 January 2026. For the Council The President K. KALLAS (1) OJ L, 2024/2642, 9.10.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/2642/oj. ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/259/oj 1/7ANNEX The following entries are added to Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 under the heading ‘A. Natural persons’: A. Natural persons Name Identifying information Statement of Reasons Date of listing ‘60. Dmitry Viktorovich Function: TV presenter, journalist, sports Dmitry Guberniev is a Russian TV presenter, journalist, sports commentator, 29.1.2026 GUBERNIEV commentator; advisor to the general director of advisor to the general director of TV propaganda channel “Russia” as well as TV propaganda channel “Russia”; advisor to the advisor to the Minister of Sports of the Russian Federation. (Russian: Дмитрий Викторович Minister of Sports of the Russian Federation ГУБЕРНИЕВ) Guberniev is a public figure who has been using his popularity and influence in DOB: 6.10.1974 the public sphere to voice Russian propaganda and to justify the ongoing Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. He supported the annexation of Crimea in POB: Drezna, Moscow region, USSR (now 2014. He was one of the hosts of the propaganda rally in support of the war of Russian Federation) agression against Ukraine, which took place on 18 March 2022 at Luzhniki Nationality: Russian Stadium in Moscow. Guberniev has hosted multiple other concerts dedicated to the Russian war machine or to Vladimir Putin. Gender: male Dmitry Guberniev was among the trusted representatives of Vladimir Putin in the 2024 presidential elections. Therefore, Dmitry Guberniev is responsible for, implementing, supporting and benefitting from actions and policies attributable to the Government of the Russian Federation which undermine or threaten democracy, the rule of law, stability and security in the Union and a third country (Ukraine), through the use of information manipulation and interference, and through supporting a violent conflict in a third country. 2/7 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/259/oj EN OJ L, 29.1.2026Name Identifying information Statement of Reasons Date of listing 61. Ekaterina Sergeevna Function: Russian television presenter, Ekaterina Andreeva is a leading news anchor of Russian state television. She has 29.1.2026 ANDREEVA propaganda journalist, and editor; host and been the host and main face of the news program “Vremya” on “Channel One” main face of the news program “Vremya” on since 1997. (Russian: Екатерина Сергеевна “Channel One” since 1997 АНДРЕЕВА) Andreeva regularly spreads disinformation and propaganda about the war of DOB: 27.11.1965 agression against Ukraine and supports the Russian armed forces and the so-called “Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics”. POB: Moscow, Russian SFSR (now Russian Federation) She regularly praises Putin’s regime and spreads disinformation and propaganda about Ukraine, as well as the West. Moreover, Andreeva hosted “Direct Line with Nationality: Russian, Montenegrin, Honduran Vladimir Putin” twice in 2001 and 2007, commented on Putin’s inauguration in Gender: female 2004, 2012, and 2018, and even commented on the army parade on May 9. Andreeva states that she writes all the leads with no editors. Therefore, Ekaterina Andreeva is responsible for, implementing, supporting and benefiting from actions and policies attributable to the Government of the Russian Federation which undermine or threaten democracy, the rule of law, stability and security in the Union and in a third country (Ukraine), through the use of information manipulation and interference, and through supporting a violent conflict in a third country. ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/259/oj 3/7 OJ L, 29.1.2026 ENName Identifying information Statement of Reasons Date of listing 62. Maria Eduardovna SITTEL Function: Russian television presenter, Maria Sittel is a leading news anchor of Russian state television. She has been the 29.1.2026 propaganda journalist, and editor; host of the host and face of the news program “Vesti” on the “Rossiya” TV channel since (Russian: Мария Эдуардовна news program “Vesti” on the “Rossiya” TV 2001. СИТТЕЛЬ) channel since 2001; chairperson of the Sittel hosted propaganda rallies in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 and received All-Russian public state organisation “Union of significant amounts of money for her performance. She is a lecturer at the Women of Russia” Ostankino Media Institute (school of Russian propaganda). DOB: 9.11.1975 She regularly praises Putin’s regime and spreads disinformation and propaganda POB: Penza, Russian SFSR (now Russian about the war of agression against Ukraine . Sittel is included in the list of “1 500 Federation) Warmongers” (established by the Free Russia Forum, which is a conference of the Russian opposition) and hosted “Direct Line with Vladimir Putin” in 2015. Nationality: Russian Therefore, Maria Sittel is responsible for, implementing, supporting and benefiting Gender: female from actions and policies attributable to the Government of the Russian Federation which undermine or threaten democracy, the rule of law, stability and security in the Union and in a third country (Ukraine), through the use of information manipulation and interference, and through supporting a violent conflict in a third country. 4/7 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/259/oj EN OJ L, 29.1.2026Name Identifying information Statement of Reasons Date of listing 63. Pavel Aleksandrovich ZARUBIN Function: journalist, co–host of the program Pavel Zarubin is a prominent Russian propagandist with exclusive access to 29.1.2026 “Moscow. Kremlin. Putin” on the “Russia 1” Vladimir Putin’s agenda. He hosts the show “Moscow. Kremlin. Putin,” where he (Russian: Павел Александрович channel, presenter, interviewer; host of “Direct interviews Putin and praises him, calling him an “exceptional leader”. ЗАРУБИН) Line with Vladimir Putin” Zarubin was the first propagandist permitted to interview Putin after the start of DOB: 7.9.1981 the Russian full-scale invasion against Ukraine. He often spreads anti-Ukrainian disinformation, referring to the Ukrainian government as “a regime”, among other POB: Beloretsk, Russian SFSR (now Russian things. Federation) In 2025, Zarubin also co-hosted the main propaganda event of that year, “Direct Nationality: Russian Line with Vladimir Putin”. Gender: male Therefore, Pavel Zarubin is responsible for, implementing, supporting and benefiting from actions and policies attributable to the Government of the Russian Federation which undermine or threaten democracy, the rule of law, stability, and security in the Union and a third country (Ukraine), through the use of information manipulation and interference, and through supporting a violent conflict in a third country. ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/259/oj 5/7 OJ L, 29.1.2026 ENName Identifying information Statement of Reasons Date of listing 64. Roman Vasilyevich Function: Russian actor and singer Roman Chumakov is a Russian actor and singer. 29.1.2026 CHUMAKOV DOB: 8.4.1984 After the beginning of the Russian full-scale war of agression against Ukraine, he (Russian: Роман Васильевич actively supported the Russian army. Roman Chumakov often visits soldiers on POB: Moscow, Russian SFSR (now Russian ЧУМАКОВ) the frontline and writes patriotic songs. He publicly praises and glorifies Vladimir Federation) Putin and also collects money for the Russian armed forces. Chumakov criticises Nationality: Russian artists who don’t support Russia’s war of agression against Ukraine. According to his worldview, Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus are one nation, and they must be Geder: male reunited. Chumakov received two state awards from Putin. Therefore, Roman Chumakov is responsible for, implementing and supporting actions and policies attributable to the Government of the Russian Federation which undermine or threaten democracy, the rule of law, stability and security in the Union and a third country (Ukraine), through the use of information manipulation and interference and through supporting a violent conflict in a third country. 6/7 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/259/oj EN OJ L, 29.1.2026Name Identifying information Statement of Reasons Date of listing 65. Sergey Vladimirovich POLUNIN Function: ballet dancer and film actor, former Sergey Polunin is a Ukrainian-born Russian ballet dancer, former rector of the 29.1.2026’ rector of the Sevastopol Choreography Sevastopol Choreography Academy, and laureate of the Presidential prize of (Russian: Сергей Владимирович Academy Young Cultural Figures. ПОЛУНИН) DOB: 20.11.1989 Since the beginning of full-scale war of agression against Ukraine, Polunin has actively supported the Russian army, including by donating money to the Russian POB: Kherson, Ukranian SSR, (now Ukraine) armed forces. He has urged others to do the same. Nationality: Russian Polunin participates in Kremlin propaganda TV shows and in the channels of Gender: male internet bloggers, where he explains and defends his belief in the “Russian world” doctrine. Polunin also criticises artists who escaped Russia after the beginning of the full-scale war of agression against Ukraine, and praises the head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov. Therefore, Sergey Polunin is responsible for, implementing, supporting and benefiting from actions and policies by the Government of the Russian federation which undermine or threaten democracy, the rule of law, stability and security in the Union and a third country (Ukraine), through the use of information manipulation and interference, and through supporting and facilitating a violent conflict in a third country. ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/259/oj 7/7 OJ L, 29.1.2026 EN