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Ukrainian radicals urge Poroshenko to nationalize Russian banks’ subsidiaries

On March 16, Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko imposed sanctions against five Russian banks
Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko Matthias Balk/dpa via AP
Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko
© Matthias Balk/dpa via AP

KIEV, March 22. /TASS/. The Ukrop (Ukrainian Association of Patriots) patriotic center-left political party has urged President Pyotr Poroshenko to nationalize banks with Russian capital operating in the country and to prevent sale transactions, according to a statement posted on the party’s website on Wednesday.

"We are requesting an urgent call of the National Security and Defense Council to consider the issue of blocking the operations (with assets and liabilities) of Russian banks, both state-owned and private, with their subsequent passing into the ownership of Ukraine," the statement said.

Meanwhile, the party opposed the sanctions levied earlier against banks with state capital operating on the Ukrainian market, as they are considered as insufficient and profitable "to the power and personally to Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine Valeria Gontareva."

Ukrop’s radicals warned they would block the operations of the Ukrainian subsidiaries of the Russian-based lenders in case the latter are allowed to sell them. "In case Russian banks are sold to any investors we’ll strive to block their operations in all lawful manners, and will not consider those buyers as bona fide owners as we’re convinced that the assets should be owned by Ukraine and the people," the statement said.

Since March 13, Ukrainian nationalists have been blocking activities of Sberbank’s central office in Kiev as they pitched tents in front of the building and made bonfires. At the same time, Russian banks in Ukraine are under pressure from the authorities. The National Bank of Ukraine announced on March 7 that it is ready to initiate sanctions against Sberbank’s subsidiary in Ukraine, if information about the bank providing services in Russia to customers with passports of Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics is confirmed.

On March 16, Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko imposed sanctions against five banks with Russian state capital operating on the Ukrainian market.