Effective as of 10 and 17 January 2023, Ukraine introduced two sets of personal sanctions targeting 317 individuals, mainly Russian public and media personalities (TV presenters, journalists, artists, singers, bloggers, writers, political scientists, etc.)[1] supporting and justifying the Russian armed aggression against Ukraine.
The Decisions impose extensive sanctions, including asset freeze; prohibition on the transfer of technologies and on the rights to objects of intellectual property rights; ban on trade operations; suspension of the performance of economic and financial obligations; restriction on the exit of capital from Ukraine; prohibition on participation in privatization and lease of state property; ban on securities transactions; cancellation of visas and licenses; entry ban; and deprivation of state awards. Among others, the sanctions affect the following individuals:
- Russian citizens: TV Presenters Margarita Simonian, Dmitrii Kiselev and Boris Korchevnikov; TV Producer Iana Rudkovskaia; Singers Filipp Kirkorov, Irina Allegrova, Larisa Dolina, Grigory Lepsveridze (also known as “Grigory Leps“) and Vasilii Vakulenko (also known as “Basta“); Actors Dmitrii Diuzhev and Dmitrii Kharatian; Military Bloggers Semen Pegov and Iurii Podoliaka; Comedians Evgenii Petrosian and Mikhail Galustian; and Political Scientist Aleksandr Dugin
- Belarusian citizens: Journalist Igor Tur, Political Scientist Aleksandr Shpakovskii, TV Presenter Grigorii Azarenok, and TV Channel Director Aleksandr Osenko
The full lists of individuals subject to sanctions are set forth in the annexes to the Decisions. The major aim of this sanctions package is to block distribution in Ukraine of the media content of the sanctioned singers, artists, actors, bloggers and journalists supporting Russian aggression against Ukraine. Any person dealing with the sanctioned individuals or providing access to their content in Ukraine should carefully assess the implications of the new sanctions on their business operations and consider blocking and withdrawing the restricted content from the market.
[1] Presidential Decree No. 4/2023 dated 7 January 2023 “On the Decision of the National Security and Defense Council dated 6 January 2023 “On Imposing and Amending of Personal Special Economic and other Restrictive Measures (Sanctions)”,” effective from 10 January 2023; Presidential Decree No. 23/2023 dated 15 January 2023 “On the Decision of the National Security and Defense Council dated 15 January 2023 “On Imposing and Amending of Personal Special Economic and other Restrictive Measures (Sanctions)”,” effective from 17 January 2023 (“Decisions“).