On October 23, the European Union approved the 19th comprehensive sanction package, which targets key sectors encompassing energy, finance, and defense industry complexes that finance Russia's occupation of Ukraine. This package included 69 new individual listings and numerous economic restrictive measures.
This package also covered sales to Russia. One of the intriguing items was the prohibition of toilet sales to Russia.
Various sanctions directed towards Russia aim to limit the country's economic and military capacity. In this context, restrictions are imposed on key sectors such as energy, finance, and defense industry. Moreover, foreign companies doing business with Russia and certain individuals are also included in the sanction lists. The sanctions aim to curb the country's war expenditures in Ukraine and increase international pressure.
According to reports from Russia's Tass News Agency, the details of the 19th sanction package reveal a ban on the export of toilets, bidets, and other sanitary ware to Russia. This unusual prohibition was also on Putin's agenda.
Putin responded with a touch of humor to the European Union's sanctions on toilets and plumbing products, saying, 'Cancelling the purchase of toilets will come at a high cost.'