Ukrainian president approves sanctions against 198 Russian cultural, media figures

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) – As the war in his country nears its 12th month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday signed a decree greenlighting sanctions on 198 Russian cultural and media figures.

The decree on the website of the Ukrainian Presidential Office says proposals made by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) introduced sanctions on 198 cultural and media figures in Russia and will be implemented for a period of 10 years.

“The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, together with the SBU and the National Bank of Ukraine, shall ensure the implementation and monitoring of the effectiveness of personal special economic and other restrictive measures (sanctions),” the decree said.

The decree also instructed Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry to inform “competent authorities of the EU, the US, and other states about the application of sanctions and to raise with them the issue of introducing similar restrictive measures.”

Last week, Zelenskyy approved similar sanctions against 119 Russian artists and figures.​​​​​​​

Since the war began last February, Russian cultural figures, entertainers, and others have come under fire if they declined to take a public stance against the war.