Switzerland follows EU in lifting sanctions on Usmanov and Fridman

In brief

• Switzerland has removed Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman from its sanctions list, following an EU decision made in September.
• Bern also adopted parts of the EU's 21st sanctions package against Russia and Belarus.
• Switzerland added 254 individuals, entities and organisations to its sanctions list at the same time.
• No reason for the delisting has been given in the EU regulation or the Swiss announcement.

Swiss decision mirrors the EU

Switzerland has taken Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman off its sanctions list, following the European Union, which did the same on 22 September (Швейцария сняла санкции с Усманова и Фридмана вслед за Евросоюзом – svoboda.org). The Swiss government announced the move together with its adoption of measures from the EU's 21st sanctions package against Russia and Belarus (Швейцария присоединилась к ряду мер из 21-го пакета санкций ЕС против Беларуси и России. И сняла ограничения с Усманова и Фридмана – Zerkalo).

Reasons not disclosed

The EU regulation that delisted the two businessmen does not explain why they were removed, and the Swiss announcement did not add a justification either. Both men had been targeted after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine (Швейцарія зняла санкції з російських мільярдерів Усманова та Фрідмана - Главком – glavcom.ua).

Other listings added

At the same time, Swiss authorities widened sanctions to 254 further individuals, legal entities and organisations. Their assets are to be frozen, and listed persons are barred from entering Switzerland.

Ukrainian objections

Glavcom reported that Ukraine had objected to the EU delisting in September, and that Bern repeated the Brussels decision despite those objections.