Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has enacted a decision from the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) to impose personal special economic sanctions against Russian media organizations, propagandists, and judges operating in Russia and occupied territories. These sanctions are set to last for a decade.
The presidential decree, issued on June 12, mandates the Cabinet of Ministers, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), and the National Bank to implement and monitor the effectiveness of these sanctions.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been tasked with informing relevant authorities in the European Union, the United States, and other nations about the sanctions while advocating for similar restrictive measures to be adopted by them.
Among the 29 individuals targeted by these sanctions are prominent figures such as Vladimir Solovyov, head of the Union of Journalists of Russia; Rinat Bilalov, editor-in-chief of Tatmedia; and Shamil Sadikov, its director. Additionally, sanctions have been placed on judges, including Vitaly Belitsky, who sentenced Russian opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza to 25 years in prison, and Olesya Babariko from occupied Sevastopol, accused of collaboration by the SBU.
Seventeen media organizations have also been included in the sanctions list, which features outlets like Gazeta.ru, Tatmedia, SMI2, FederalPress, Utrо.ru, and Lenta.ru, as well as the Union of Journalists of Russia and its branches in occupied Crimea, Sevastopol, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Luhansk regions.
Ukraine has initiated a decade-long set of sanctions targeting Russian media and officials linked to propaganda efforts. This move is part of a broader strategy to counteract Russian influence and promote accountability for actions taken against Ukrainian sovereignty.