Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky approved a decree put forward by
Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council to impose sanctions on
several Russian companies.
According to documents published by the presidential website, the
blacklisted companies include construction companies Lenpromtransproject and
Geozemstroy, as well as Russian insurance company Insurance Business Group.
As reported by the TASS news agency on Saturday (22/1/2022), the list also
mentions the state-run Sevastopol Cultural Development Center, the National
Cultural Heritage foundation for social and cultural projects, the Security
Service of the Ministry of Transport of Russia and the parent company
Transstroy.
In all, the list has 24 companies deemed responsible by the Kiev government
for the "illegal construction and use of rail lines of transport routes
across the Kerch Strait," regulating rail services between Crimea and
mainland Russia and "damaging the national cultural heritage of the region."
Sevastopol."
After the February 2014 government coup in Ukraine, the Crimean and
Sevastopol authorities held a referendum on the issue of reunification with
Russia. Voting took place on March 16, with turnout exceeding 80%.
Reunification with Russia was supported by 96.7% in Crimea and 95.6% in
Sevastopol.
On March 18, the Russian president signed an agreement on the accession of
the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol to the Russian Federation.
Russia's Federal Assembly ratified the treaty on March 21. Despite the
unequivocal result of the referendum, Kiev has refused to recognize Crimea
as part of Russia.
Zelensky has also approved the decision of the Ukrainian National Security
and Defense Council to impose sanctions on the Russian President's
Plenipotentiary Envoy for the Federal District of the North Caucasus, Yury
Chaika.
The sanctions are imposed for a period of five years, including blocking of
assets in Ukraine and suspension of financial transactions.
Ukraine has also imposed sanctions on an Austrian architectural and design
firm working on a project to build a new theater in Sevastopol, a city on
the Russian-held Crimean peninsula.
A decision issued by Zelenskiy said Coop Himmelb was barred from doing
business in Ukraine and could not withdraw capital from the country for five
years.
The decree also barred the company's six board members from entering Ukraine
and participating in its privatization, and said their assets in the country
would be frozen.
