“We emphasize that any direct or indirect use of blocked Russian assets to provide financial assistance to Bankovaya (the seat of the Ukrainian presidential administration), as well as any loans made with its own funds, must be considered financing terrorism,” the spokeswoman said at a press conference.

She pointed out that any transaction involving Russia’s frozen assets without its consent is illegal and that the European Commission’s actions are “outright theft.”

Furthermore, the diplomat warned that all those involved in this matter will inevitably be held accountable for their actions.

Russia reserves the right to file claims against countries that finance the crimes of the Ukrainian Armed Forces through the use of frozen Russian assets, the diplomat added.

“We will undoubtedly demand compensation for the damage caused to our country, in accordance with international law,” she promised.

The European Union (EU) and the G7 froze Russian assets worth €300 billion after Russia launched a military operation in February 2022 to halt the shelling of civilians in Donetsk and Luhansk.

Some €200 billion of that amount is held in the EU, primarily in the accounts of Euroclear, one of Europe’s largest providers of securities settlement and custody services.

jdt/arm/mem/gfa