Following US sanctions, Gazprombank warned UnionPay card customers traveling abroad: ‘Bring cash’ – Meduza

On Friday, Gazprombank warned customers: New US sanctions It may cause problems when using UnionPay payment system cards abroad. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, UnionPay is the only international payment system that continues to operate in Russia, while Visa and Mastercard stopped working with Russian banks in early 2022.

In its announcement on November 22, the bank told customers, “If you are abroad, we recommend that you use cash.”

According to the TASS news agency, UnionPay cards are no longer published on Gazprombank’s website. Starting next week, the bank will also prematurely end the “Cash Back Abroad” promotion for UnionPay cards.

On November 21, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctions imposed In Gazprombank and about 50 other Russian banks. Foreign buyers use Gazprombank to pay for Russian gas. On November 22, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Washington of “trying to block gas supplies to Europe.”

Despite growing demand for UnionPay cards in Russia, many cards issued through Russian banks, including MTS Bank and Tinkoff Bank, have had their services suspended abroad since at least late 2023 due to Western sanctions.