Russian Opposition Condemns EU Decision to Lift Usmanov Sanctions Without Freeing Political Prisoners

Russian opposition figures accused Europe of showing weakness by lifting sanctions on Kremlin-linked billionaire Alisher Usmanov without securing the release of any Russian political prisoners, warning that the decision demonstrated how easily European governments could be pressured. Speaking at an event in the French National Assembly on Wednesday, Oct. 7, exiled Russian opposition politician Ilya Yashin called the decision a “mistake” that had demoralized supporters of democracy in Russia.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “We believe it demonstrated Europe’s weakness. It sent a signal that Europe can be pressured into easing sanctions,” Yashin said, according to AFP. The criticism follows France’s successful push last month to remove Russian-Uzbek billionaire Usmanov, 73, from the EU sanctions list as part of negotiations linked to the release of French citizen Martin Ryan, who was imprisoned in Azerbaijan on espionage charges. Another Russian billionaire, Mikhail Fridman, 62, was also removed from the EU blacklist in a separate concession sought by other EU members. Both businessmen had been sanctioned following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 over their economic ties to the Kremlin. Yashin acknowledged that France had acted in what it considered its national interests but said the decision had “nevertheless caused great disappointment and demoralization among supporters of democracy in Russia.” Other Topics of Interest New €1.2 Billion EU Defense Package Arrives as Ukraine Faces Funding Uncertainty Delays in parliament’s approval of reform legislation are complicating efforts to secure additional international financing needed to cover Ukraine’s budget and defense needs through 2026. “There are times when difficult decisions have to be made,” he said. “But in such situations, it is necessary to at least raise the cost.” “What is profoundly disappointing is that Usmanov’s removal from the sanctions list did not lead to the release of a single Russian political prisoner,” Yashin said, adding that the issue had apparently not even been raised during the negotiations. “That is deeply disappointing, despite all due respect for France.” Another Kremlin critic, former Russian deputy energy minister Vladimir Milov, warned that allowing Usmanov to escape sanctions could have broader security consequences. Milov said Usmanov was “capable of causing enormous harm to the national security of France if he remains exempt from sanctions.” “I do not think everyone in France fully realises this fact,” he added. Azerbaijan’s role raises questions The controversy centers on Azerbaijan, whose involvement in negotiations over Usmanov’s sanctions helped secure the release of French citizen Martin Ryan. Ryan had been sentenced to 10 years in prison on espionage charges that France rejected as unfounded. On Sept. 23, a day after the EU removed Usmanov from its sanctions list, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev pardoned Ryan alongside 19 other prisoners. In Azerbaijan itself, reports of Baku’s role in securing sanctions relief for Usmanov prompted criticism from civil society activists, who questioned why their government had intervened on behalf of a Kremlin-linked billionaire. The case also raised questions about Azerbaijan’s motives and what the country stood to gain from helping Usmanov. Baku denied interfering in European sanctions decisions, although Azerbaijani officials acknowledged that their government had repeatedly supported efforts to remove Usmanov from Western blacklists. An Azerbaijani diplomat told Reuters that Baku had joined other members of the Organization of Turkic States in sending letters to Western leaders advocating sanctions relief for Usmanov, describing him as an influential philanthropist who promoted relations between Central Asia and the West. Azerbaijani human rights campaigners have repeatedly called for the release of imprisoned journalists, opposition figures and civil society activists. The agreement also caused controversy within the European Union, with Ukraine strongly opposing sanctions relief for businessmen linked to the Kremlin while Russia continues its war. Despite the removal of Usmanov and Fridman, the EU agreed to extend its broader sanctions regime against Russia for three years. At the French parliamentary event, Russian human rights campaigner Oleg Orlov urged European lawmakers to prioritize the release of prisoners jailed for opposing the Kremlin. Orlov, co-chair of Memorial, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Russian human rights organization, warned that some prisoners might not survive their sentences. “While there is still a chance, we must save at least some of those who will not survive imprisonment,” Orlov said, according to AFP. He urged French lawmakers to take responsibility for individual prisoners and publicly follow their cases. “It would be very important for members of parliament to take symbolic responsibility for specific political prisoners, to monitor their fate, and to speak about them publicly.” According to Memorial, more than 1,800 people are recognized as political prisoners in Russia, while approximately 5,700 are imprisoned or facing prosecution for politically motivated reasons. 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