I will admit I am actually shocked. We’re now sanctioning Ukrainians, including democratically elected members of the Rada, for not being anti-Russian, the day before Blinken meets with Lavrov in Geneva. The statement effectively declares that they have committed treason against Ukraine. This is NOT the Ukrainian government; it is the US government.
The story is from the Kyiv Independent at https://kyivindependent.com/national/us-treasury-announces-sanctions-against-four-pro-kremlin-ukrainians/ .
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The U.S. Department of the Treasury updated its list of sanctioned individuals on Jan. 20 by including four Ukrainian pro-Kremlin politicians to its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List.
The Kremlin-linked individuals were sanctioned because they “engaged in Russian government-directed influence activities to destabilize Ukraine,” according to the Treasury’s statement released on Jan. 20.
Those on the list are two lawmakers representing the pro-Kremlin Opposition Platform faction – Taras Kozak and Oleh Voloshyn. Two former high-ranking members of the now-defunct Party of Regions – Volodymyr Oliynyk and Vladimir Sivkovich – are also now on the list.
“Russia has directed its intelligence services to recruit current and former Ukrainian government officials to prepare to take over the government of Ukraine and to control Ukraine’s critical infrastructure with an occupying Russian force,” the statement reads.
