Wife of Putin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov in Court to Overturn EU Sanctions
Legal Challenge Against EU Sanctions
Background of the Sanctions
MOSCOW, July 27 (Reuters) - Tatiana Navka, the wife of Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov, has launched a legal challenge aimed at overturning European Union sanctions imposed on her over the war in Ukraine, according to details published on an EU website.
Navka, a former Olympic ice-skating champion, was put on a sanctions list by the EU in June 2022 that targeted people over Moscow's actions in Ukraine. Peskov's daughter Elizaveta and son Nikolai were included on the same list.
EU's Rationale for Sanctions
Brussels said at the time that the sanctions, which included a travel ban to the EU and financial restrictions, were imposed "in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine."
Navka's Legal Arguments
Details published on the EU's EUR-Lex website showed that Navka, 51 — who was born in Soviet Ukraine but is a Russian citizen — is now seeking to overturn the sanctions on her via the European Court of Justice.
Claims and Grounds for Appeal
The legal filing said she was arguing that the reason for the restrictions on her had not been properly set out, that errors of law and factual assessment had been made, and that the EU had failed to prove a sufficient link between her and the stated aim of its sanctions.
Damages Sought
Navka is seeking damages from the Council of the European Union for material damage and for damage to her reputation and other non-material damage totalling just over €2 million ($2.3 million), the same document showed.
Other Similar Legal Challenges
Another official EU database shows that Yekaterina Ignatova, wife of Sergei Chemezov, head of the state-owned Rostec defence and industrial corporation, is seeking to overturn EU sanctions on her via the same legal route.
Additional Information
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(Reporting by Andrew Osborn; Editing by Hugh Lawson)