Alfa-Bank
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EU extends Ukraine-related sanctions 36 months but drops Usmanov and Fridman; Azerbaijan pardons French detainee Ryan
The Council of the European Union on 22 September extended the sanctions regime targeting persons responsible for actions undermining Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence for another 36 months, until 22 September 2029 — the first time the regime was renewed for three years rather than the usual six-month cycle. As part of the same decision, Russian oligarchs Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman were removed from the list. The following day, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a pardon decree covering 20 people, including French citizen Martin Ryan, who had been convicted of espionage in March 2026.