Zelenskyy slaps 'special' sanctions on Russian officials and publishers

He stated that the restrictions target representatives of Russian government structures, "wallets" of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, collaborators, and individuals involved in looting temporarily occupied territories.

The president noted that Russia is trying to prolong the war while simultaneously legitimizing the occupation of Ukrainian territories, including through propaganda and false “sanctions” decisions against Ukrainian officials.

"This behavior by Russia deserves significantly greater pressure from the world and an expansion of that pressure — both against all sources and schemes financing the Russian war machine, and against every person who spreads propaganda and complicates decisions aimed at achieving real peace," Zelenskyy emphasized.

According to him, Ukraine is already preparing proposals for new sanctions for international partners.

Separately, Zelenskyy noted that Russian publishing houses that justify aggression and spread Russian propaganda worldwide have also been targeted.

"Everything in Russia oriented toward war must be blocked," the president concluded.

Who the sanctions target

The first decree imposes sanctions on eight individuals involved in crimes against Ukraine and its citizens.

This includes those who appropriated property from the agricultural sector, grain crops, and cultural heritage sites, conducted information operations against Ukraine, and implemented Russian educational standards with anti-Ukrainian content in temporarily occupied territories.

The restrictions apply to Russian government officials, an FSB agent involved in information sabotage, a representative of the Russian General Staff's information department, as well as financier Kirill Dmitriev — a close associate of the Russian leadership who channels Russian investments into strategic sectors of other countries' economies. The sanctions list also includes those who publicly justify Russian aggression.

Also in the new sanctions lists:

• Oleksandr Buhaiov – First Deputy Minister of Education of the Russian Federation

• Oleksandr Zorin – General, Russian representative in the negotiating group

• Oleksiy Komkov – Head of the 5th FSB Service

• Oksana Lut – Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation

• Andriy Omelchuk – Deputy Minister of Science

• Oleksandr Tupitsky – Former Head of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine

Russian publishing houses Viche, Piter, Knyzhkovyi Svit, Tsentrpoligraf, and Yauza were also placed under sanctions.

The President of Ukraine emphasized that Kyiv will submit its proposals for new sanctions to international partners.

Under the second decree, restrictive measures were imposed on five Russian publishing houses engaged in war propaganda, spreading Kremlin narratives worldwide, and promoting anti-Ukrainian sentiments in the occupied territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions.

Ukraine's sanctions against Russia

In September, Ukraine introduced new personal sanctions against individuals and companies supporting Russia’s military-industrial complex, shadow fleet, and energy sector.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed two decrees introducing restrictions on foreign sponsors of Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Shortly thereafter, the head of state approved another package of personal and sectoral sanctions against 35 individuals and legal entities connected to the state corporation Rosatom and Russian energy structures.

Additionally, Ukraine fully synchronized this year’s sanctions with Canada. They cover 139 individuals and legal entities working for Russia’s military machine, including relatives of Vladimir Putin.

Last week, a new package of sanctions against Russia was adopted, targeting the energy sector and electronics production.