Ukraine Slaps Sanctions Against Russia Law-Enforcers, Judges over Sentsov, Kolchenko

The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine has decided to introduce sanctions against the Russan officials responsible for the illegal actions against Oleg SENTSOV, Oleksandr KOLCHENKO, and other Ukrainian citizens unlawfully captured, tried and kept in prison.

In particular, the NSDC simultaneously considered the extension of the special personal economic and other restrictive measures, which were introduced in September 2015, and the application of additional sanctions against individuals and legal entities involved in Russian aggression against Ukraine.

“As a separate resolution, the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine has taken a decision to introduce sanctions against the persons involved in illegal actions against Ukrainian citizens,” the NSDC’s press service said on Friday.

In particular, it said, these are Russian law enforcers and judges who are responsible for the groundless persecution of Ukrainian citizens Oleh Sentsov, Oleksandr Kolchenko and others who have been unlawfully detained, convicted and are still being illegally in Russian territory.

Sentsov and Kolchenko, who publicly opposed the annexation of the Crimea, were arrested by Russian occupiers in May 2014. In August 2015, the military court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced them to 20 and 10 years respectively in tight security penal colony on falsified charges of ‘terrorist activity.’ Oleg Sentsov is currently serving his sentence in East Siberia, and Oleksandr Kolchenko is kept in prison on the Urals.