Arkady Volozh, co-founder of Russian search engine Yandex, has formally requested the European Union (EU) to lift the sanctions imposed on him. Volozh publicly criticized Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and denounced it as “barbaric.” The EU is set to discuss his request next month, which could set a precedent for how the EU handles sanctioned individuals who speak out against the Kremlin. Volozh was sanctioned by the EU in June 2022 due to Yandex’s alleged promotion of pro-government narratives and complicity in Russia’s actions against Ukraine. He resigned as Yandex CEO after being sanctioned and hopes that the EU will not renew the sanctions when they lapse in September.
By FCCT Editorial Team