Date: 2026-03-16Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: Europe
Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/647 of 16 March 2026 implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s destabilising activities
**Executive Summary**
Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/647, adopted on 16 March 2026, amends Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 to impose restrictive measures on four natural persons identified as contributing to Russia’s destabilizing activities. These measures respond to hybrid attacks and malicious activities directed against the Union, its Member States, and third countries. The regulation entered into force on 16 March 2026 and is directly applicable in all EU Member States.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Targeted Additions to Restrictive Measures**
* Four natural persons are added to the existing list of sanctioned individuals in Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2024/2642.
* The individuals are sanctioned for spreading propaganda, disinformation, and justifying Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
* The targeted activities include information manipulation, interference, and supporting policies that undermine democracy, the rule of law, and security in the Union and Ukraine.
**Sanctioned Individuals and Specific Grounds**
* **Sergey Aleksandrovich Klyuchenkov:** A Russian propagandist accused of calling for "de-Ukrainisation," violence against civilians, and retaliatory strikes against countries supporting Ukraine.
* **Ernest Gedrevich Mackevicius:** A leading news anchor for Russian state television cited for spreading biased reports on military advances and supporting the Russian armed forces.
* **Graham Williams Phillips:** A British blogger accused of filming degrading content of soldiers, spreading anti-Ukrainian disinformation, and receiving a passport from the so-called "Luhansk People's Republic."
* **Adrien Bocquet:** A French media figure identified as an amplifier of Kremlin narratives who denies Russian war crimes and facilitates information manipulation through social media and Kremlin-funded outlets.
**Legal and Enforcement Status**
* The regulation is binding in its entirety and applies directly to all Member States without the need for national transposition.
* The measures were effective immediately upon publication in the Official Journal of the European Union on 16 March 2026.
**Impact Analysis**
**Listed Natural Persons (Sergey Klyuchenkov, Ernest Mackevicius, Graham Phillips, Adrien Bocquet)**
**Impact**
These individuals are now subject to the restrictive measures framework established by Regulation (EU) 2024/2642. Their inclusion on the list identifies them as actors who undermine the security and stability of the Union and Ukraine.
**Action Required**
The document does not specify actions for these individuals; however, they are now subject to the legal consequences of being listed under EU restrictive measures.
**EU Member States**
**Impact**
Member States are legally required to ensure the implementation and enforcement of the restrictive measures against the four newly listed individuals.
**Action Required**
National authorities must apply the measures directly and ensure that the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 are upheld within their jurisdictions as of 16 March 2026.
**Entities and Persons under EU Jurisdiction**
**Impact**
Entities and individuals operating within the EU or under its jurisdiction must comply with the updated list of sanctioned persons to avoid legal violations.
**Action Required**
Compliance and legal departments must update their screening and internal sanction lists to include the four natural persons added by this regulation to ensure no prohibited activities or transactions occur involving these individuals.
Key Entities Referenced
Regulation (EU) 2024/2642: The primary legal framework concerning restrictive measures against Russia’s destabilising activities, which this regulation amends.
Council of the European Union: The primary decision-making body responsible for adopting and implementing these restrictive measures.
Ukraine: The central country where Russia’s destabilising activities and war of aggression are targeted, defining the scope and purpose of the sanctions.
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy: The key official who proposed the addition of natural persons to the restrictive measures list.
Official Journal EN
of the European Union L series
2026/647 16.3.2026
COUNCIL IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2026/647
of 16 March 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 European Council adopted conclusions in which it strongly condemned all recent hybrid
attacks against the Union and its Member States.
(3) The Union remains unwavering in its condemnation of 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 four 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, 16 March 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/2026/647/oj 1/5ANNEX
The following entries are added to Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 under the heading ‘A. Natural persons’:
Name Identifying information Statement of Reasons Date of listing
‘66. Sergey Aleksandrovich Function: journalist, radio presenter and TV Sergey Klyuchenkov is a prominent Russian political analyst and propagandist who 16.3.2026
KLYUCHENKOV presenter; employee of “Komsomolskaya plays an active role in spreading Russian propaganda and disinformation aimed at
Pravda”, host of the radio programme “Evening justifying Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
(Russian: Сергей Александрович
Divan” and the TV programme “Mardan” on the
КЛЮЧЕНКОВ) Klyuchenkov supports attacks on Ukraine, including attacks on civilians, and calls for
Soloviev LIVE channel
further violence. In addition, Klyuchenkov has called for the “de-Ukrainisation” of
a.k.a. Sergey MARDAN; Sergey
DOB: 11.7.1969 occupied territories, including a ban on Ukrainian language, the removal of cultural
LELEKA
symbols and violence against supporters of Ukrainian identity. Klyuchenkov calls for
POB: Varezh, USSR (now Russian Federation)
(Russian: Сергей МАРДАН; the occupation by Russia of Baltic states and suggests retaliatory strikes against
Сергей ЛЕЛЕКА) Nationality: Russian countries that support Ukraine, including the USA, Türkiye , Germany, France and the
UK.
Gender: male
Therefore, Sergey Klyuchenkov is 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 in a third country (Ukraine)
through engaging in, directly or indirectly, and supporting the use of information
manipulation and interference, and through supporting a violent conflict in a third
country (Ukraine).
2/5
ELI:
http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/647/oj
EN
OJ
L,
16.3.2026Name Identifying information Statement of Reasons Date of listing
67. Ernest Gedrevich Function: journalist and TV presenter; host of Ernest Mackevicius is the leading news anchor of Russian state television. He is the 16.3.2026
MACKEVICIUS the programme “Vesti at 20:00” on the channel host and face of the news programme “Vesti at 20:00” on the channel “Russia”.
“Russia”
(Russian: Эрнест Гедревич Mackevicius regularly spreads disinformation and propaganda about Russia’s war of
МАЦКЯВИЧЮС) DOB: 25.11.1968 aggression against Ukraine, about Ukraine itself and about Ukrainian armed forces.
He consistently presents biased reports on advances of the Russian military and losses
POB: Vilnius, Lithuania
or retreats of the Ukrainian army.
Nationality: Lithuanian, Russian
He also supports the Russian armed forces and Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin. In
Gender: male 2024, he served as a commentator for Putin’s inauguration on the television channel
“Rossiya 1”, an entity listed by the Union.
Therefore, Ernest Mackevicius 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 in a third country (Ukraine) through engaging in, directly or
indirectly, and supporting the use of information manipulation and interference, and
through supporting a violent conflict in a third country (Ukraine).
ELI:
http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/647/oj
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ENName Identifying information Statement of Reasons Date of listing
68. Graham Williams PHILLIPS Function: journalist, blogger Graham Phillips is a prominent British propagandist who plays an active role in 16.3.2026
spreading Russian propaganda and disinformation aimed at justifying Russia’s war of
DOB: 26.1.1979
aggression against Ukraine.
POB: Dundee, United Kingdom
Phillips regularly films content from Russian-occupied areas, including interviews
Nationality: British with captured British fighters, and filmed degrading video of the remains of
a Ukrainian soldier. He also makes propaganda articles about the Russian-occupied
Gender: male territories of Ukraine such as Mariupol and spreads anti-Ukrainian disinformation,
referring to the Ukrainian government as “Nazis” and accusing Ukraine of
indiscriminate shelling of separatist regions and of prolonging the war. Phillips also
received a passport from the so-called “Luhansk People’s Republic”.
Therefore, Graham Phillips is 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 in a third country (Ukraine)
through engaging in, directly or indirectly, and supporting the use of information
manipulation and interference, and through supporting a violent conflict in a third
country (Ukraine).
4/5
ELI:
http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/647/oj
EN
OJ
L,
16.3.2026Name Identifying information Statement of Reasons Date of listing
69. Adrien BOCQUET Function: media figure Adrien Bocquet is a media figure who has repeatedly positioned himself as an 16.3.2026’
amplifier of Kremlin propaganda in Europe and in Russia. Through appearances at
POB: France
symbolic conflict sites, interviews with Russian television, publications on his X
Nationality: French, Russian account (which has 18 100 followers) and contributions to Kremlin-funded outlets
such as International Reporters, he amplifies Kremlin narratives that distort the
Gender: male realities of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, including denial of Russian war
crimes. His engagement in media productions and public endorsement of Russian
narratives facilitates the spread of information manipulation and undermines
informed public debate.
Therefore, Adrien Bocquet is supporting, involved in and facilitating actions or
policies attributable to the Government of the Russian Federation which undermine
or threaten stability or security in the Union or in a third country (Ukraine) through
planning, directing, engaging in, directly and indirectly, and supporting the use of
information manipulation and interference.
ELI:
http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/647/oj
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EN