What happened? President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has enacted the decision of the National Security and Defence Council to impose sanctions against 182 russian and belarusian companies and 3 entrepreneurs.
Source. The relevant decree on the website of the President's Office.
Details. "Today, I signed a decree enacting sanctions against legal entities and individuals used by the aggressor state to transport military equipment and soldiers by railroad," President Zelensky said in a video address.
Their assets in Ukraine will be blocked, and the existing property will be used for the defence of Ukraine.
"We will work to ensure that a similar blocking is applied by other countries. I thank everyone who helps us to strengthen sanctions against russia! And, by the way, I thank all the investigators who expose the ways that the terrorist state uses to circumvent sanctions," Mr. Zelensky added.
The sanctions list includes, in particular, russia's Uralkali, Kazanorgsintez PJSC, Bashkir Soda Company, Siberian Coal Energy Company, Belarusian Belaruskali, Gomel Chemical Plant, Lakofarba, and Kronospan OSB.
The sanctions are also applied to russian businessmen Valeriy Matveyev, Sergey Belosokhov, and Vladimir Strok.
Background. In December, President Zelensky signed a decree imposing sanctions on the abbot of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, Pavlo (Petro Lebed), as well as on a cleric of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), former MP Vadym Novynskyi.
In January, Mr. Zelensky issued a decree imposing sanctions on nearly 200 people. Among them is Diana Panchenko, a former host of Viktor Medvedchuk's TV channels, who travelled to temporarily occupied Donetsk in December. The list also included other citizens of Ukraine, russia, and other countries.