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EU extends sanctions against former Ukrainian president for another year

In 2014, the European Union imposed sanctions on 18 Ukrainians, including Yanukovich, his two sons and former Prime Minister Nikolai Azarov

Viktor Yanukovich Valeriy Sharifulin/TASS

Viktor Yanukovich

© Valeriy Sharifulin/TASS

BRUSSELS, March 4. /TASS/. The Council of the European Council has extended sanctions on former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich and certain people in his closer circle for another year, the Council said in a statement on Monday.

"The Council extended until March 6, 2020, the asset freezes directed against 12 persons identified as responsible for the misappropriation of Ukrainian state funds or for the abuse of office causing a loss to Ukrainian public funds. The restrictive measures against one person were not extended. This decision is based on the annual review of the measures," the statement reads.

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Yanukovich’s attorney castigates Kiev prosecutor’s ‘cash confiscation’ claim as utter lie

Brussels sources said earlier that Andrei Klyuyev would be removed from the blacklist in accordance with a decision made by the Court of Justice of the European Union, which is going to enter into force following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union on March 5.

On March 5, 2014, the European Union imposed sanctions on 18 Ukrainians, including Yanukovich, his two sons and former Prime Minister Nikolai Azarov. The restrictions, introduced for one year, included EU entry bans and assets freezes. The Council of the European Union cited the misappropriation of Ukrainian state funds as a reason for sanctions. In the following years, the Council made minor changes to the blacklist.

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