KIEV, January 22. /TASS/. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky approved on Friday a decree by Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council to impose sanctions on several Russian companies.
According to the document, published by the presidential website, the blacklist includes construction companies Lenpromtransproyekt and Geozemstroy, as well as a Russian insurance company, Insurance Business Group.
The list also mentions Sevastopol’s state-run Culture Development Center, the National Culture Heritage foundation for social and cultural projects, the Departmental Security Service of the Russian Transport Ministry and the Transstroy holding company.
Overall, the list has 24 companies whom the Kiev government holds responsible for "illegal construction and use of the railway section of the transport route across the Kerch Strait," organizing rail service between Crimea and mainland Russia and "damaging the national cultural heritage on the territory of Sevastopol."
After the February 2014 government coup in Ukraine, the authorities of Crimea and Sevastopol held referendums on the issue of reunification with Russia. The voting took place on March 16, with turnouts exceeding 80%. Reunification with Russia was supported by 96.7% in Crimea and 95.6% in Sevastopol. On March 18, the Russian president signed a treaty 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 outcome of the referendum Kiev has refused to recognize Crimea as part of Russia.
Zelensky also has approved a decree by Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council to impose sanctions on Russian Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the North Caucasus Federal District Yury Chaika.
The sanctions, imposed for a five-year period, include blocking of assets in Ukraine and suspension of financial transactions.