Ukraine to sanction 172 individuals and 65 companies for ‘support of terrorism’
Ukraine’s government has picked 172 individuals and 65 companies that will face sanctions for “support and financing of terrorism” or responsible for crimes on country’s territory, Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk announced on Aug. 8.
But it will be a while before the measures are actually applied because the nation is yet to see a law approved that introduces the very notion of sanctions to legislation. The law was also submitted to the parliament on Aug. 8, and Yatseniuk said he expects it to come up for vote in parliament on Aug. 12.
It's also unclear what names will be on this list, which is subject for approval by the National Security and Defense Council. Yatseniuk said that the law will be mostly targeting Russian people and firms in response to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
When deciding on sanctions the government consulted and coordinated with western partners, Yatseniuk said.
“This is the first time in Ukraine’s history when we as a country apply sanctions to foreign individuals, who commit crimes against our country and our citizens,” Yatseniuk told the press briefing.
A Cabinet member who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to comment on the issue, said that the list of companies and individuals mirrors that of the European Union, United States and other countries, but there is “potential for expansion.”
During the briefing, Yatseniuk hinted at sanctions against the arms makers in Russia, though. 'With the new decision initiated by the government of Ukraine, additional measures will be introduced, which will not allow the country-aggressor, and we're talking about the Russian Federation, to modernize its armed forces,” he said.
He also said “all types of transit" could be hit, Reuters reported. Asked if gas supplies across Ukraine would be interrupted, he said: "I spoke about all the measures which could be included in the (proposed) law. This includes the possible halting of all types of transit, from air flights to transit of resources."
Previously, the government also talked about sanctioning the pharmaceutical industry through canceling licenses for most of Russian drugs.
Yatseniuk also said that the new law will introduce 26 types of sanctions. For example, Ukraine could deny visas to individuals, freeze assets, ban business activity, ban transit of resources, flights and transportation through its territory, ban in access to country’s territory for ships or planes, and ban media activity of the sanctioned entities on country’s territory. It could also stop functioning of international agreements, trade deals and cultural cooperation.
Individual decisions will be taken by the National Security and Defense Council based on proposals by the government, the president, State Security Service or the National Bank.
At the same time, the government proposed to amend the Criminal Code to make it easier to apply sanctions to those who are wanted. If the amendments are approved by the parliament, courts will be able to order confiscation of assets of those who are on the run.
This measure is designed to assist the government in dealing with the property of former officials, like President Viktor Yanukovych, who fled the country in the wake of EuroMaidan last winter. Ukraine's security services have accused some of his inner circle of financing separatists in the east.
“The Ukrainian state will be finding all over the world the property of banks, financial companies, enterprises and personal property of people, who supported annexation of Crimea and now are supporting and financing Russian terrorists on territory of Ukraine,” Yatseniuk said.
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