Medvedev issues a decree to protect Russian companies from sanctions
In a governmental decree published on the website of the Cabinet of Ministers, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev ordered measures to alleviate the negative influence of retaliatory sanctions against Russian companies.
“The Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Economic Development should ensure a balance of commodity markets and eliminate the negative influence of the special economic sanctions on the activities of Russian organizations,” the document stated.
The new Russian retaliatory measures against Ukraine affects 322 individuals and 68 legal entities. Olexiy Poroshenko, son of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, leader of the Fatherland party, Yulia Tymoshenko, the Head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Arsen Avakov and others were among those affected. Judges of the Constitutional Court, Deputies of the Verkhovna Rada and other businessmen and officials were also subjected to sanctions.
In May 2018, Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers, Security Service, and National Bank initiated the introduction of new sanctions against individuals and legal entities involved in Russian aggression against Ukraine. The sanctions target individuals who prepared and facilitated voting during the Russian presidential elections in annexed Crimea.
Additionally, the sanctions effect representatives of the Russian administration in the Crimea, militants of Russian armed groups in the annexed territory of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and individuals involved in cyber-aggression against Ukraine and those who commit unlawful actions against Ukrainian citizens illegally held in Russia. Deputies of the State Duma and members of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly are also included on the list. The sanctions imposed in previous years have been extended; the new sanctions will last for three years or, in some cases, an indefinite term.