Source: "European Truth" referencing a decision on the court's website
Details: The head of Marathon Group and the main shareholder of the "Magnit" network requested the judges to recognize his lawsuit for lifting sanctions as justified.
He also asked to deem the European Council's decision to impose restrictive measures against him for actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Ukraine as inapplicable, obliging the EU Council to cover all expenses and costs related to the proceedings.
In official EU documents, Vinokurov is referred to as "an entrepreneur engaged in activities in sectors of the economy that provide a significant source of income for the Russian government."
The document states that the grounds for including and maintaining the applicant's name in the contested lists were as follows:
"[The applicant] is a Russian businessman with business interests in the retail food, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and infrastructure sectors. He holds leadership positions in the investment company Marat[h]on Group and the largest Russian retail food chain 'Magnit'," the document states.
It also notes that he is married to Ekaterina Vinokurova, the daughter of Sergey Lavrov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
His father, Semen Vinokurov, headed the unitary Russian enterprise "Moscow Pharmacies" and is considered one of the leading entrepreneurs in the Russian pharmaceutical industry.
"Thus, [the applicant] has close ties to the Russian government and is actively engaged in sectors of the economy that are a significant source of income for the government of the Russian Federation, responsible for the annexation of Crimea and the destabilization of the situation in Ukraine," the court stated.
It was also noted that on February 24, 2022, after the initial stages of Russian aggression against Ukraine, Vinokurov, along with 36 other businessmen, met with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin and other members of the Russian government to discuss the repercussions of the choices that needed to be made as a result of Western sanctions.
"The fact that he was invited to participate in this meeting indicates that he is part of Putin's inner circle and that he supports or carries out actions or policies that threaten or jeopardize the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Ukraine, as well as stability and security in Ukraine," the statement highlighted.
It was added that this is also confirmed by the close personal ties between Vinokurov and Lavrov, "who is responsible for the aggression and policies pursued by Russia that compromise or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Ukraine."
It is noteworthy that family members of Lavrov, just like him, are included in Western sanctions lists.
On December 16, the European Council adopted the 15th package of economic and individual restrictive measures against Russia, which included officials from North Korea and Chinese suppliers of drone kits.
Earlier, media revealed details that the 16th package of sanctions would target Russian aluminum, agricultural products, "shadow fleet" of tankers, liquefied gas, and the banking sector.