On Tuesday, May 20, the EU Council imposed sanctions on 21 individuals and six entities in response to Russia’s destabilizing activities abroad.
According to a statement published on the Council’s official website, today’s listings include Viktor Medvedchuk, a former Ukrainian politician and businessman who, through his associates Artem Marchevskyi and Oleg Voloshyn also listed today, controlled Ukrainian media outlets and used them to disseminate pro-Russian propaganda in Ukraine and beyond.
“Through secret financing of the ‘Voice of Europe’ media channel – also listed today – and his political platform ‘Another Ukraine,’ Medvedchuk has promoted policies and actions intended to erode the legitimacy and credibility of the government of Ukraine, in direct support of the foreign policy interests of the Russian Federation and disseminating pro-Russian propaganda,” the statement emphasizes.
The EU Council has also broadened the scope to allow the EU to target tangible assets linked to Russia’s destabilizing activities, such as vessels, aircraft, real estate, and physical elements of digital and communication networks, as well as transactions of credit institutions, financial institutions and entities providing crypto-assets services that directly or indirectly facilitate Russia’s destabilizing activities.
Furthermore, in light of the systematic, international Russian campaign of media manipulation and distortion of facts aimed at destabilizing neighboring countries and the EU, the Council will now have the possibility to suspend the broadcasting licenses of Russian media outlets under the control of the Russian leadership, and to prohibit them from broadcasting their content in the EU.
On May 20, EU foreign ministers approved the bloc’s 17th package of sanctions against Russia, which includes measures targeting nearly 200 vessels linked to Russia’s shadow fleet.
Source: EU imposes sanctions over Russia's destabilizing actions abroad, Medvedchuk among those listed
