Swiss join EU to put Ukraine’s ex-president on sanctions list
Switzerland has adopted European Union sanctions against the former Ukrainian president, Viktor Yanukovych, and his son Olkesandr.
The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) said the pair was put on a list of travel and financial sanctions to come into force later on Wednesday.
The 72-year-old former president is believed to have been involved in the first stage of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February, while his son is said to run business operations in the Donbass region held by separatist forces.
The sanctions are the latest in a series of punitive measures by the EU, which Switzerland decided to take over following a case-by-case examination.
Financial sanctions against Yanukovych and his entourage have already been in place in connection with illicit potentate assets.
More than CHF100 million in assets was frozen following Yanukovych was ousted in 2014 and the Swiss government in May said it was looking to confiscate the money in order to be returned to the Ukrainian authorities.
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