The International Working group on sanctions against Russia Yermak-McFaul proposes to introduce a mechanism for lifting personal sanctions, follows from the Action Plan 2.0" Strengthening Sanctions against the Russian, Federation, posted on the website of Stanford University.

“We also propose that the sanctions coalition countries should define a clear route for individuals to avoid sanctions. At a minimum, this mechanism should require that the individuals resign from the positions of authority specified above, and then unequivocally support Ukraine’s territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders (“the 1991 borders”), call for Russia to withdraw all its troops from Ukrainian territory immediately, and support payment of compensation to Ukraine for the harm Russia has caused,”the document reads.

According to the authors of the document “clear guidance on how to be delisted from sanctions lists should become an important aspect of the sanctions strategy, because it would demonstrate that sanctions policy is result-oriented.”

The plan notes that the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NAPC) has proposed to impose individual sanctions (asset freeze and visa ban) on more than 25,000 people for their role in Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a result of their actions or responsibility.

However, even the most active of the coalition countries have so far applied individual sanctions only against a part of this number (approximately 1,500 from the USA and EU, 1,700 from Canada).

The authors say that individual sanctions should be significantly expanded as an effective solution aimed at influencing representatives of the Russian elite who are directly responsible for supporting military actions.

In their opinion, the list of persons for the application of sanctions should include all high-ranking government officials, high-ranking officials of large state-owned enterprises, senior military officers, politicians who support the war, and members of political parties who support the war.

It also includes leading journalists and propagandists, cultural figures defending the war, and judges involved in the false prosecution of those who tell the truth about the war, as well as Russian businessmen with significant assets indirectly financing the war.

The authors of the plan “ urged the International Olympic Committee (IOC), International Paralympic Committee (IPC), international sports federations, and national Olympic committees (NOCs) to ban: (i) international sports events being organized or supported by an international sports federation or NOC in Russia or Belarus; (ii) the participation of Russian and Belarussian athletes in any sports event or meetings organized or supported by the IOC, IPC, or international sports federations or NOCs of the sanctions coalition countries; and (iii) any invitations or accreditations of Russian and Belarusian government or state officials for any such international sports events or meetings.”

“We also urge the International Chess Federation (FIDE) to take a firmer line in isolating

Russia. Russians should not hold positions of leadership in any FIDE body, while Russian

companies, such as Freedom Holding Companies and Kaspersky Labs, should not be allowed to sponsor events. Russian citizens should be banned from competition,” they say.

The authors of the "Plan" also propose that Russian visa applications for entry into the countries of the sanctions coalition would require disclosure of any membership in a Russian political party with the presumption of refusal on any applications from members of Russian political parties supporting the invasion of Ukraine, including, but not limited to, United Russia.

“Regarding all Russian citizens, some European countries, including Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Finland, have already imposed travel bans on tourist visas. Other countries should consider doing the same. Another option would be to add a “Ukrainian reconstruction fee” to all visas that are issued to Russian citizens traveling to Europe and other sanction coalition countries. Russians can then choose to pay the additional fee and travel to Rome or avoid the fee and vacation in Minsk,” the Plan reads.