The head of a Russian state-owned company under international sanctions visited Georgia and held meetings at the Ministry of Economy, according to an official statement released by the Russian energy company Rosseti.

According to the statement, a delegation from the Federal Grid Company – Rosseti, led by the company’s General Director Andrey Ryumin, visited Georgia on a working trip.

“A meeting was held with the management of Sakrusenergo, the country’s largest energy company, in which Rosseti and the Government of Georgia each hold a 50% stake. Discussions focused on the reliability of electric grid operations, current performance indicators, and investment plans. In addition, industrial, financial, and economic results for 2024 were summarized.

A meeting was also held at Georgia’s Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development to explore potential participation in projects related to modernization and the construction of power infrastructure,” the statement reads.

The European Union added Ryumin to its sanctions list on March 15, 2022, as part of its fourth sanctions package. He was designated as a “leading businessperson involved in a key sector of the Russian economy” and was cited for participating in the February 24, 2022 meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and top oligarchs — an event interpreted as showing support for policies undermining Ukraine’s sovereignty. As part of the EU sanctions, Ryumin’s and Rosseti’s assets in the EU were frozen, all transactions with them were prohibited, and Ryumin himself was banned from entering EU member states.

The United Kingdom imposed sanctions on Ryumin the same day, March 15, 2022, alongside executives from Rosneft and Yandex. He was placed on the UK’s asset freeze list, meaning his assets in the UK are frozen, British individuals and entities are prohibited from engaging in business with him, and he is banned from entering the UK. The UK cited his ties to Putin and his strategic role in a sector that generates significant state revenue.

Canada imposed sanctions on Ryumin on May 18, 2022. According to the Canadian government, this was part of its response to “Russia’s aggression in Ukraine,” targeting oligarchs and their inner circle. The sanctions froze Ryumin’s assets in Canada and prohibited Canadian citizens and entities from conducting financial transactions with him.

Switzerland adopted the EU’s restrictive measures on March 16, 2022, and included Ryumin in its own sanctions list.