Estonia reportedly sought to spare Russian rare-earth firm from EU sanctions

Estonia asked the European Union to remove a Russian supplier of rare earths to Estonian company Silmet from its 22nd Russia sanctions package, ERR reports, citing Radio Free Europe journalist Rikard Jozwiak. ERR said it had not independently verified the claim.

EU member states’ ambassadors agreed on October 7 to add 743 people and 826 companies to the sanctions list, which targets entities linked to Russia’s military-industrial complex. The package has not yet been formally approved. The initial proposal, prepared by the EU’s foreign service led by foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, included 744 people and 827 companies. Kallas announced the proposed package in late August.

Jozwiak wrote on social media that one company and one person were removed from the original proposal at Estonia’s request. He described the company as a Russian supplier of rare earths to Silmet, which processes the raw material into material used in wind turbines and other products. He also said the company was seeking alternative sources. The person removed was not identified.

Radio Free Europe reported that the companies proposed for sanctions appear on a Russian government list of military-industrial complex firms and may receive state support. The list included businesses involved in warship and submarine construction, missile and space industries, aircraft equipment and engines, artillery, military vehicles, electronics, navigation, semiconductors, chemicals and ammunition.

The initial proposal also included executives from several companies linked to Russia’s submarine fleet, including Sevmash chief Mikhail Budnichenko, Rubin design bureau director Igor Vilnit and Malakhit head Vladimir Dorofeyev.

EU ambassadors separately agreed on sanctions against 77 people elected to Russia’s State Duma from occupied Ukrainian territories in recent votes.