EU imposes sanctions on six people it says had a role in Navalny's death

In early June 2026, Bill Browder, a British financier of American origin, made a sharp warning about Russia’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine. In an article published on *The Independent*, he described Vladimir Putin as a man who has never compromised, never shown weakness, and never retreated in his long political career. Browder, known for his fierce opposition to the Russian government, highlighted how Putin's leadership style resembles that of a prison yard where survival depends on being the most brutal and intimidating figure. He argued that Putin would not back down unless forced into a position where he could no longer maintain control.

Browder’s comments came amid growing concerns over the deteriorating situation in Russia. He pointed to a series of alarming developments, including reports of fires at Russian oil refineries, mass evacuations from occupied Crimea, and significant disruptions in fuel production. According to intelligence sources cited by Browder, between 20% and 40% of Russia’s refining capacity had been taken offline, leading to severe shortages of fuel. This crisis was compounded by other factors, such as the political instability in Hungary, where Prime Minister Viktor Orbán faced challenges from the newly elected leader Péter Magyar. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had recently experienced a public embarrassment during a meeting with former U.S. President Donald Trump, which further complicated diplomatic efforts.

Browder also noted the grim reality facing new conscripts in the Russian military. Their average lifespan from arrival at training camps to death in combat zones had dropped to between ten days and three weeks. These figures underscored the immense human cost of the war and the strain on Russia’s military infrastructure. Despite these problems, Browder insisted that they were unlikely to be enough to force Putin to change course. He emphasized that Putin ruled Russia with an iron fist, and any sign of weakness would be exploited by rivals within the regime. As such, he warned that rather than seeking peace, Putin was more likely to escalate hostilities.

According to Browder, this escalation would take the form of a general mobilization within Russia. He predicted that Putin would launch even more devastating attacks on Ukrainian civilians, despite the catastrophic consequences for both Russians and Ukrainians. He described the conflict as moving toward a "Korean scenario," where neither side formally declares victory but instead reaches an unspoken agreement to halt hostilities. Under this scenario, Russia would stop bombing Ukrainian cities, while Ukraine would cease targeting Russian oil refineries and other economic assets. There would be no formal summits, handshakes, or signed documents—only practical decisions driven by necessity.

Browder urged Western countries, particularly Europe, to play a critical role in shaping this outcome. He called on them to continue providing weapons to Ukraine so that it could keep pressuring Russia’s economy and military infrastructure. He also stressed the importance of maintaining and even tightening sanctions against Russia, as well as offering financial support and patience to ensure that Ukraine could continue its resistance until the killing stopped. His message was clear: the West must not allow Russia to retreat without paying a heavy price.

At the same time, signs of internal pressure on the Russian government began to emerge. At the annual shareholders' meeting of Sberbank, one of Russia’s largest financial institutions, German Gref, the chairman of the board, stated that the primary concern of Russians now was “the fastest possible end to military operations.” This sentiment was echoed by the Institute for Analysis of Russia, based in Kyiv, which reported that 81% of Russians supported ending the war immediately—a record high since the start of the invasion.

Meanwhile, European Union officials took another step in their campaign against the Russian regime. The EU imposed sanctions on six individuals suspected of involvement in the poisoning of Alexei Navalny, a prominent opposition figure who died in February 2024 after being imprisoned in a remote Arctic colony. Among those sanctioned was Igor Babkin, head of the laboratory at the Scientific Center Signal (SC Signal), which conducted research on the synthesis of epibatidine, a substance linked to Navalny’s poisoning. The EU froze the assets of these individuals and banned them from traveling to member states.

Russian authorities have consistently denied any involvement in Navalny’s death, attributing it to a combination of illness and arrhythmia. However, several Western governments, including Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands, have accused Russia of using epibatidine, a toxin derived from the skin of frogs native to South America. While Russia has requested concrete evidence to support these claims, the EU’s actions indicate a continued effort to isolate and weaken the Russian regime through targeted sanctions and international pressure.