Aktualisierte Sanktionsmeldung: Russland
Executive Summary
On October 29, 2025, the Swiss Federal Council (Bundesrat) adopted comprehensive sanctions measures aligned with the EU's 18th sanctions package against Russia and additional measures against Belarus, effective October 30, 2025. This enforcement action significantly expands financial transaction prohibitions, export restrictions, and asset freezes, requiring Swiss financial intermediaries to immediately implement new compliance obligations across banking, goods trade, and energy sectors.
What Changed
Financial Sector Restrictions The Bundesrat expanded transaction prohibitions on Russian banks substantially: - Extended existing transaction bans from 23 Russian banks to cover all specialized payment messaging services, converting these to complete transaction prohibitions - Introduced new transaction prohibitions for 22 additional Russian banks - Prohibited all transactions with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), its sub-funds, and affiliated enterprises, tightening restrictions previously limited to RDIF-financed projects Export Control Expansion Export restrictions were materially broadened to include: - Chemical components for fuel production - Specified metals and plastics - Goods strengthening Russian industrial capacity and military/technological capabilities Belarus A
What You Need To Do
- *Implement transaction prohibitions on all 45+ Russian banks now subject to complete bans (previously 23 with partial restrictions)
- *Freeze assets of all sanctioned persons and entities immediately upon notice
- *Report affected business relationships to SECO—this reporting obligation does not relieve firms from conducting additional due diligence when suspicious indicators exist
- *Screen counterparties against updated sanctions lists, particularly the RDIF and its sub-funds
- *Cease all transactions with newly prohibited entities, including payment system operators and financial institutions in third countries (Belarus, Kazakhstan) supporting Russian war economy
- *Update compliance systems to reflect expanded export restrictions on chemical, metal, and plastic goods
Key Dates
Compliance Impact
Urgency: CRITICAL
Who is Affected
Summary
Die Schweiz schliesst sich den weiteren Massnahmen des 18. Sanktionspakets der Europäischen Union (EU) gegenüber Russland sowie den zusätzlich zum 18. Sanktionspaket erlassenen Massnahmen gegenüber Belarus an. Dies hat der Bundesrat am 29. Oktober 2025 beschlossen. Im Fokus stehen Massnahmen im Güter-, Finanz und Energiebereich. Der Bundesrat hat dafür die Verordnung über Massnahmen im Zusammenhang mit der Situation in der Ukraine (SR 946.231.176.72) geändert.