The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine will submit to the Verkhovna Rada a bill "On sanctions" and to NSDC [National Security and Defense Council] a list of 172 citizens of Russia and other countries “who have been supporting and financing terrorism and are directly related to crimes committed on the territory of Ukraine", stated Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk at a briefing on Friday, 8 August.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk has noted that the decision on introduction of sanctions on the countries and persons that have been supporting and financing terrorism in Ukraine and encroaching on the territorial integrity and independence of the Ukrainian state was adopted at today's Government meeting. According to him, the decision was made after a number of consultations of the Cabinet of Ministers with Western partners and in the framework of coordination with Western partners. Also the PM held a meeting with the special Ambassador of the United States of America, who is personally responsible for imposing sanctions.

"This is the first time in Ukraine's history, when we as a state apply the sanctions against foreign entities that are committing crimes against our country and against our citizens," emphasized Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

According to the bill, Ukraine has the right to apply 26 types of sanctions, including the freezing of assets; bans on running businesses on the territory of Ukraine; online broadcasts in the country, the Internet and other means of communication; ban on privatization; the use of licenses; complete or partial ban on transit of all kinds of resources; special economic measures, including procedures for the licensing and quota system; conducting of special audit of the financial operations; bans on financial transactions; as well as ordinary sanctions such as bans on entry and movements.

The PM has informed that the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine submits for the consideration to NSDC a list of 172 citizens of the Russian Federation and citizens of other states who have been financing terrorism, supported the annexation of the Crimea and encroached on the territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine".

“The sanctions passed to the NSDC (National Security and Defense Council) also concern 65 companies, mainly with Russian property and Russian residents, who have been supporting and financing terrorism and are directly involved in crimes committed on Ukrainian territory, stressed the PM.

According to the law, the National Security and Defense Council will adopt a decision concerning application of sanctions on the basis of suggestions from the Government of Ukraine, President of Ukraine, Security Service of Ukraine or the National Bank of Ukraine.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk has reported that the Government also approved the decision to submit a draft law on imposing criminal sanctions: "This law enables Ukrainian courts make decisions in relation to persons who are internationally wanted, and therefore they cannot be brought to court by escort, and in case, when persons who are in the international wanted list have committed the following types of crimes: terrorist activities; crimes against the fundamentals of national security and defense; massacres and war crimes".

After the adoption of this act, stressed the PM, Ukrainian courts will have the right to issue verdicts in relation to persons who may not be delivered to the court, as they are internationally wanted, thus the sanction of confiscation of these persons’ property is applied: "This means that not only the performers, but also the organizers and sponsors of crimes against Ukraine will be subject to forfeiture. The Ukrainian state will find worldwide assets of banks, financial companies, enterprises as well as personal property of all persons who supported the annexation of the Crimea and now are supporting and financing Russian terrorists on the territory of Ukraine".

He has emphasized that the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine should pass this bill concerning sanctions on August 12.

As for the list of individuals and entities, which the Cabinet of Ministers has submitted to the NSDC, "all materials are collected, prepared and the National Security and Defense Council shall promptly consider and finally adopt all kinds of sanctions", underlined the PM.
Answering the journalist's question on the issue of ban on export of Ukrainian military equipment, dual-purpose goods to Russia, Arseny Yatseniuk recalled that month ago the NSDC has already passed a decision to ban military-technical cooperation with Russia: "the new solution, initiated by the Government of Ukraine, shall introduce additional measures that will not allow an aggressor, and that’s the Russian Federation, to modernize its armed forces".

Arseniy Yatsenyuk has also appealed to Western partners: "it is impossible to supply weapons to those countries that then use these weapons against independent and democratic states. Because then these weapons will return to suppliers of these weapons from the West."

"We understand the price that Ukraine shall pay. Only today we’ve paid a much higher price - human life. Russia supports bandits who are killing our citizens. And this is priceless, because human life cannot be returned. Therefore, we are ready to pay this price for our independence," said the PM