The Insider: The European Union's New Sanctions Package Was Compiled Using Artificial Intelligence

The publication noted that the document uses only two standard formulations for all 1569 individuals and organizations. Previous sanctions packages usually provided separate justifications for why restrictions were imposed against each specific entity.

Problems are also noticeable in company names. For the first time, all legal entities are recorded with a literal transliteration of Russian names, without proper capitalization. Furthermore, different rules for converting Cyrillic to Latin script are used in various cases: some names are transliterated using Python tools, while a different standard is applied for people's names, which is also not always adhered to.

The authors of the investigation suggest that such inconsistencies may indicate the use of large language models for data processing and translation. These signs alone do not prove that the sanctions document was actually prepared with the help of artificial intelligence. However, there is more significant evidence of this.

The list contains names where Latin and Cyrillic letters are mixed. For example, the name of one enterprise is given as "Акcionерное общество калиновский химический завод" (Akcionernoe obshchestvo Kalinovskiy Chemical Plant). According to the journalists, a similar error can occur during automatic processing of texts in multiple languages.

There are also inaccuracies in address translations. The address of the company "Neva-Ferrit" in St. Petersburg has become an English-language entry where the name of Krasnoye Selo is partially translated as "Krasnoe village", while the name of Svobody street remains transliterated. In the address of CJSC "Tehkrym," the form "Udmurtskaya Republic of…" is used instead of the correct English name for the Udmurt Republic — "Udmurt Republic."

Errors even affected website addresses. For LLC NPO "AMB", the document lists the website licenzia-gos.rf. The authors of the investigation note that the top-level domain .rf does not exist, and the stated website does not work even in Cyrillic spelling.

Non-existent companies and incorrect executives were included in the sanctions list

One example is FCP "Novosibirsk Experimental Plant of Measuring Instruments." Sanctions were imposed against the enterprise and its director, Alexei Morozov, although this legal entity ceased to exist in 2021 after merging with another enterprise – FCP "National Testing Association "State Ammunition Testing Grounds of Russia"." The latter also fell under sanctions, but its general director, Stanislav Yuzov, was not included in the list.

Journalists suggest that outdated information about enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex might have been used to compile the list. They note that sanctions against such plants are not always effective, as the enterprises themselves may not directly purchase products from abroad. Other intermediary companies handle procurement for them.

According to the investigation, even a superficial check of the document reveals at least 25 discrepancies in the names and legal forms of organizations, as well as in the positions of individuals who fell under sanctions.

For example, Nikolai Grechushkin is named as the general director of LLC "Textile Trading Company" in the list, although Anatoly Trubin holds this position. Moreover, the document attributes Trubin's identification number to Grechushkin, while Grechushkin himself actually works as deputy general director.

In the case of JSC "Khimreaktiv," Evgenia Kovalenko is named as the head, although Vladimir Lyamkin is the general director of the enterprise.

Another problem is outdated names. The enterprise listed as OJSC "Radiodetal" actually has a different legal form and is called PJSC "Zubovo-Polyansky Radio Components Plant."

Outdated information is also used regarding the Scientific Research Institute for System Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. In February 2023, it was transferred to the structure of the National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute," so its current name differs from that provided in the sanctions document.

Another serious flaw in the new package is insufficient data on individuals. For all 743 people included in this package, dates of birth and passport numbers are not specified. However, the list does include Russian taxpayer identification numbers, which were previously rarely used to identify people in sanctions lists.

According to the authors of the investigation, this increases the risk of erroneous name matches during automated checks. For example, when applying for a visa, consulates usually verify passport details and date of birth, but not the Russian tax number.

If an individual is not associated with a Russian company as its founder or executive, it may be impossible to find a match between their name and tax number using open data, as such information is not public.

As a result, an individual unrelated to a sanctions case may face a blocked bank transfer due to a matching first and last name. According to information from The Insider, one of the publication's employees could not receive his salary because the bank froze his transfer after finding a match with the name of a person on the new sanctions list.

Previously, European officials also made errors in identifying individuals. For example, sanctions were imposed against Russian comedian Mikhail Galustyan, using his stage name instead of his real name — Nshan. Additionally, the document mistakenly indicated a birth year of 1970 instead of 1979. According to the investigators, these errors were not corrected even a year and a half after the document's publication.

Errors in sanctions lists can also have legal consequences. In May 2025, the European Court of Justice annulled sanctions against Andrey Kharkovsky, named as a representative of the Union of Cossacks, because European authorities could not prove his connection to this organization. The justification also lacked a date of birth and other details that would allow for unambiguous identification of the individual.

The authors of the investigation particularly highlight that the new package contains no Chinese companies — neither manufacturers nor trading intermediaries. In their opinion, this is especially significant because Chinese enterprises and banks play an important role in supplying goods necessary for Russia's military industry.

The Insider and other publications previously investigated the supply chains of components for Russian long-range drones "Geran" and "Gerbera," as well as for the mass production of FPV drones. According to journalists, Chinese manufacturers and associated banks may be key links in these chains, while intermediary companies that process supplies are not always the main participants.

The investigation states that FPV drones cause about 70% of combat losses, and civilians and civilian infrastructure particularly suffer from "Geran" drone strikes.

The authors conclude that the new sanctions package creates the impression of extensive work, but its effectiveness raises questions due to outdated information, identification errors, and the absence of restrictions against Chinese companies, which, according to the investigation, are crucial for supporting the Russian military-industrial complex.

• 0
• 0
• 1
• 14
• 0
• 0
• 1
• 0