Spain has immobilized a total of twelve funds and bank accounts of five Russian oligarchs affected by the sanctions imposed for the invasion of Ukraine, as well as acting on three luxury boats and 23 properties.
This was revealed this Monday in Congress Oscar LopezCabinet Director of the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, during an appearance before the Joint National Security Commissionwhere he reviewed the consequences for Spain of Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, which he described as “unjustified and illegal”.
Specifically, it has revealed that the sanctions imposed by the European Union have meant in Spain the immobilization of twelve funds and bank accounts linked to five of those sanctioned by the community institutions. Three luxury boats belonging to Russian oligarchs and action has been taken on 23 properties owned by those affected and located in Spain.
The sanctions are coordinated by one of the working groups created within the National Security agencies due to the war in Ukraine. The second of them is in charge of coordinating the reception of refugees arriving in Spain, which now number more than 130,000, according to López. From them, 5,400 boys or girls are already schooled in Spain.
Potential target of cyber attacks
The third of the working groups is in charge of cybersecurity, since, as it has recognized, Spain is “potential target” of cyber attacks by Russia as a member of the European Union and NATO. In addition, Óscar López has highlighted the importance of misinformation in this conflict.
The coordination cell created within the National Security Council for the invasion of Ukraine is in charge of coordinate all actions in this regard and prepare a daily report that is sent to the President of the Government.
The director of Pedro Sánchez’s cabinet has recalled that the consequences of the Russian offensive affect multiple scopesthe economic, the energy security or the migratory, in addition to the military, where he has pointed out the deployments that Spain maintains on the eastern flank of the Alliance within its deterrence and defense policy.
Óscar López has made this analysis before presenting the new National Security Strategy, whose approval was brought forward a year as a result of the international exchangesthe rise of hybrid threats and the impact of Covid-19.
In addition, it has presented the annual National Security report for the year 2021, which was approved last March 4 and in which all ministerial departments and the National Intelligence Center (CNI) participate.
This document, which has been published since 2013, analyzes the main threats to Spain over the last twelve months and serves as a reference for future strategy reviews. In 2021, the pandemic was once again the “most relevant factor” for Spain, although other factors such as the evacuation from Afghanistan or meteorological phenomena such as the La Palma volcano also stand out.
In addition, the senior official from Moncloa has reviewed other phenomena such as migration, the fight against terrorism and, specifically, jihadism, organized crime or the nuclear threat.
Regarding cybersecurity, he explained that the “challenges” in this area have “multiplied” in recent years. in 2021 the total number of cyber incidents decreased (13,000 in 2020 compared to 10,831 in 2021), although in return those considered critical increased “significantly”. The most affected sectors were administration, finance and taxation, and transportation.
Consensus request
Óscar López ended his speech with a call to the parliamentary groups for consensus on matters of national security and, specifically, for the approval of the preliminary draft reform of the National Security Law that seeks to guarantee the essential and strategic resources in crisis situations.
“I convey a message of consensus and unity on these issues because the national security matters They have always had the greatest possible consensus and that is how we believe it should continue to be”, said the director of Sánchez’s cabinet, shaking hands with the parliamentary groups.