On 5 March 2015, it was announced that the European Council has extended the pre-existing restrictive measures against eighteen individuals.
These individuals, including the former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich, have been subject to investigations regarding the misappropriation of Ukrainian state funds. The sanctions have been adjusted in order to reflect the progression of these investigations; and have been extended by a year for fourteen of the individuals listed, and by three months for the other four.
The extension was put into effect through Council Regulation (EU) 2015/357 and Council Decision 2015/364/CFSP. These instruments do not introduce any new designations.
The sanctions were originally brought into force on 6 March 2014 by Council Regulation (EU) 208/2014 and Council Decision 2014/119/CFSP.
