Alisher Usmanov sanctions relief was mistake, critics say

Two Russian dissidents told French lawmakers on October 7 that the European Union's decision to lift sanctions on Russian-Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov was a mistake and showed Moscow could pressure Europe.

Exiled Russian opposition politician Ilya Yashin said the move had disappointed and demoralised supporters of democracy in Russia. He said the opposition understood France acted from national interests, but said the decision "sent a signal that Europe can be pressured into easing sanctions."

France last month drew criticism from several EU nations, Ukraine and Russian opposition figures after securing the removal of Usmanov and Russian billionaire Mikhail Fridman from EU sanctions.

Usmanov and Fridman had been added to the EU sanctions list after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine over allegations that their businesses provided significant revenues to the Kremlin.

Usmanov's case was linked to the release of Martin Ryan, a Frenchman jailed in Azerbaijan on espionage charges. An informed source told AFP that Nicolas Lerner, head of France's DGSE foreign intelligence agency, accompanied Ryan home.

Yashin said Usmanov's removal had not led to the release of any Russian political prisoners and claimed such releases were not discussed. Vladimir Milov, a former Russian deputy energy minister and Kremlin critic, said Usmanov could harm France's national security if he remained exempt from sanctions.