Russia introduces sanctions against Ukraine
The Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a government decree introducing sanctions against Ukraine.
Based on the document published on the Russian government’s website, the list includes more than 300 Ukrainian citizens and 68 companies.
Starting November 1st, their funds, property and bonds will be blocked in the Russian Federation, and transferring capital out of Russia will be restricted.
The imposition of sanctions is “aimed at countering unfriendly actions against Russian citizens and legal entities by Ukraine, removing restrictions imposed earlier by the Ukrainian side and normalizing bilateral relationship,” reads the government decree.
The sanctions list includes the speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Andriy Parubiy, Deputy Speakers Iryna Herashchenko and Oksana Syroyid, the head of the Fatherland political party Yulia Tymoshenko, head of the Presidential Administration Ihor Rainin and his substitute Kostiantyn Yeliseiev Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak, Chief of the General Staff Viktor Muzhenko, head of the Security Service Vasyl Hrytsak, Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov, the Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko and Chief Military Prosecutor Anatolii Matios.
The sanctions are also imposed against the ministers of education, agrarian policy, ecology, culture, infrastructure, and informational politics as well as the Ukrainian Minister of Temporarily Occupied Territories Vadym Chernysh.
Sanctions are also imposed against 68 legal entities, including the chemical and mining industries and mechanical engineering.
Among them, is the only Ukrainian producer of large trucks AutoKrAZ and Kharkiv’s tractor factory; nitrogen fertilizer group company Ostchem, businessman Dmytro Firtash head of the Azot company and PJSC Rivneazot, and state-owned Sumykhiprom, specializing in the production of titanium dioxide, sulfuric acid, iron oxide pigments, complex mineral fertilizers and coagulant for water purification.
“The Russian government reserves the right to lift any of the imposed economic sanctions in the case Ukraine cancels restrictive measures imposed on Russian citizens and legal entities,” reads the ministers cabinet message.
In May 2018, Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers, Security Service, and National Bank initiated the introduction of new sanctions against individuals and legal entities involved in Russian aggression against Ukraine. The sanctions target individuals who prepared and facilitated voting during the Russian presidential elections in annexed Crimea.
Additionally, the sanctions effect representatives of the Russian administration in the Crimea, militants of Russian armed groups in the annexed territory of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and individuals involved in cyber-aggression against Ukraine and those who commit unlawful actions against Ukrainian citizens illegally held in Russia. Deputies of the State Duma and members of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly are also included on the list. The sanctions imposed in previous years have been extended; the new sanctions will last for three years or, in some cases, an indefinite term.