What sanctions on Mali and Russian prison officials signalled in July 2023
A look back at two Western sanctions announcements made in the days before 26 July 2023.
What had Western governments just done to penalise those linked to Russia's activities? By 26 July 2023, two sanctions decisions had been announced in the preceding days.
On 24 July 2023, the United States announced sanctions on three senior Malian officials, among them Defence Minister Sadio Camara. Washington's stated reason was that they had allegedly "helped to facilitate" the presence of the Russian paramilitary Wagner Group in Mali.
Four days earlier, on 20 July 2023, the European Union imposed sanctions on the director of the Russian prison where opposition leader Alexei Navalny was incarcerated.
The two measures came from different governments and concerned different places, but both targeted individuals tied to Russia's activities or institutions.
