The European Union has imposed new sanctions against former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and his son Oleksandr “in response to Russia’s continued unjustified and unprovoked military aggression against Ukraine”. The relevant legal acts were published in the Official Journal of the EU on Thursday 4 August.

The Council of the EU added Yanukovych and his son to the list of persons, organizations and bodies against which restrictive measures are applied, for “their role in undermining or threatening Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence, stability and the security of the state, and also in the case of Alexander Viktorovich Yanukovych – for conducting agreements with separatist groups in the Donbass,” the statement said.

“Pro-Russian” Faces

The document notes that Viktor Yanukovych, who was President of Ukraine from 2010 to 2014, pursued a “pro-Russian policy” and, after being removed from power, moved to Russia, from where he “continued activities aimed at destabilizing Ukraine.” “. Alexander Yanukovych, according to the EU, carries out commercial activities in the territory of Donbass not controlled by Kyiv, in particular in the energy, coal, construction, banking and real estate sectors and has “close ties with pro-Russian separatists”.

Earlier, Yanukovych and his son were included on the EU sanctions list in connection with allegations of embezzlement and embezzlement of Ukrainian public funds.