Courts and International Sanctions: Practice That Is Making History

Юридична Газета

The full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation became a turning point for European security, the global evolution of sanctions law, and the development of international law. The scale, speed, and coordination of the sanctions packages introduced by the EU countries, the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, and other partners of Ukraine have no equivalent in modern history.

Since February 24, 2022, more than 18,000 individual and sectoral restrictions have been imposed on Russia — the largest number in history. In EU and G7 countries, approximately $300 billion in assets of the Central Bank of Russia have been frozen, along with more than $80 billion in additional private Russian assets.

The world has never seen anything on this scale. This process has been accompanied by unprecedented judicial activity, both in international jurisdictions and in Ukraine. The case law being formed today will become the foundation of a new model of international accountability for aggression.

Sanctions as an instrument of international defense

Before 2022, sanctions were mostly targeted in nature: aimed at individual officials, banks, or sectors. After Russia's invasion, they became systemic. The EU adopted 14 large-scale packages, the US imposed sanctions on more than 4,500 entities, and the UK on nearly 2,000.

The main goal is to weaken Russia's ability to finance the war.