Zelenskyy Justified the Imposition of Sanctions and Prepares New Steps in the Fight Against Aggression
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made an official statement regarding the extensive sanctions measures that Ukraine is implementing in response to Russian aggression. In his address, he emphasized that these restrictive measures are aimed at individuals and key entities that actively support and finance the Russian regime, promote disinformation, and are involved in criminal groups. Through his Telegram channel, Zelenskyy noted that over the past few days, several sanctions packages have been adopted, each targeting specific issues. The first package includes sanctions against Russian individuals involved in funding Russia’s terrorist activities, manipulating financial flows, and schemes to bypass international restrictions, which effectively support Kremlin’s military actions. The second targets Russian propagandists: those who spread false information and disinformation, intensifying destructive attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure and creating an atmosphere of fear and panic through mass media. The third package covers representatives of organized crime groups that largely contributed to the establishment of the Putin regime and continue to support its criminal foundation. Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine is working to coordinate its national sanctions with international regimes such as the European Union, the United States, and other key jurisdictions to enhance the efficacy of measures and prevent circumvention of restrictions. He also announced the preparation of new sanctions decisions intended to expand and deepen restrictions supporting Ukrainian resistance and isolating the Russian regime. “We are pursuing a path of strict economic, financial, and informational pressure. Our targets are individuals and legal entities from Russia and those connected to them, who sustain the military machine and keep the Putin regime afloat. They must be held accountable for their actions. Work is underway on new decisions by the National Security and Defense Council, which will be adopted soon,” the head of state noted. This is not the first step in Ukraine’s sanctions policy. On May 25, Zelenskyy already introduced personal sanctions against several individuals, including former Member of Parliament Ihor Mosiychuk, the son of former President of “Motor Sich” Vyacheslav Boguslayev — Oleksandr, as well as owner of gaming establishments Dmytro Punин and other persons involved in Russian and Ukrainian criminal structures. The sanctions list also includes founders of Ukrainian online resources and companies, such as Rostislav Shaposhnikov of the website "Dorožnoї kontrol" (“Road Control”) and other businessmen linked to the Russian casino “Pin-Up” and related entities. The agenda not only involves responding to the current situation but also systematically working to strengthen international coordination and the consistent application of restrictive measures within the framework of a global strategy to combat Russian aggression and criminal influence. Zelenskyy assured that Ukraine will continue to stay vigilant and employ all available tools to defend its independence and security.