‘We Are Blocking Propagandists’ – Zelensky Imposes Sanctions on Pro-Russian Politicians

President Zelensky signed a decree imposing new sanctions on pro-Russian politicians and propagandists in Ukraine, he announced on Sunday. The ruling, which enacts a decision made by Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), marks another step in Kyiv’s efforts to root out Russian influence within the country.

“We are blocking propagandists working for Russia, individuals who have sided with the enemy, and those aiding Russia in continuing the war,” Zelensky said in a video address. He added that further sanctions would be coming soon.

The decree also aims to strip state honors from individuals who have been linked to the Kremlin. “We are continuing to revoke state honors – only those who truly dedicate their lives to Ukraine deserve the title of Hero of Ukraine,” Zelensky said.

New sanctions target pro-Russian politicians

The decree names 18 individuals, including several high-profile politicians with documented ties to Russia. Among them are Yuriy Boyko, Nestor Shufrych, and Yevhen Muraiev, who have long been associated with pro-Kremlin narratives in Ukraine.

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Boyko, who previously led the now-banned pro-Russian political party Opposition Platform – For Life (OPZZh), has come under scrutiny for promoting Kremlin-backed rhetoric. Just last month, Ukraine’s parliament urged Zelensky to strip Boyko of his Hero of Ukraine award after he repeated Russian propaganda claims about “radicals” controlling the streets in Ukraine.

Awarded the title Hero of Ukraine in 2004 during his tenure as head of Naftogaz, Boyko has maintained close ties with Moscow for years. He and Viktor Medvedchuk, another former OPZZh leader, met with Russian officials in 2019, including Dmitry Medvedev and Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller, just months before the party secured 13% of the vote in Ukraine’s parliamentary elections.

“The full-scale invasion has quite clearly shown people’s true colors,” Boyko told Kyiv Post in a past interview, referring to former OPZZh members who aligned themselves with Moscow following the invasion.

Shufrych, another key figure on the sanctions list, was previously detained in September 2023 for allegedly collaborating with Russian intelligence. According to Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), Shufrych had been involved in spreading Kremlin narratives and allegedly coordinated with Russian intelligence services to undermine Ukraine’s national security.

Muraiev, who was sanctioned alongside Boyko and Shufrych, has been accused of working to establish a pro-Russian puppet government in Ukraine. In early 2022, British intelligence claimed that Moscow viewed Muraiev as a potential leader in a Russian-controlled Ukraine.

Zelensky has vowed that additional figures linked to Russian influence would face similar restrictions in the coming months.

Revoking state honors for pro-Kremlin figures

Beyond the sanctions, Zelensky’s administration has continued its efforts to strip pro-Russian figures of past honors awarded by the Ukrainian state. Boyko is the latest politician under review, but he is not the first.

In May 2023, Zelensky revoked the Hero of Ukraine award from Viktor Medvedchuk, a former OPZZh leader and close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Medvedchuk, who was arrested by Ukrainian authorities in 2022, was later exchanged in a prisoner swap and now resides in Russia.

“We must ensure that those who betrayed Ukraine are not honored as its heroes,” Zelensky said at the time.

New appointments in security and defense 

Alongside the crackdown on Russian influence, Zelensky also approved key security and defense appointments on Sunday, underscoring Ukraine’s ongoing military restructuring amid its war with Russia.

Colonel Roman Kachur was appointed as the new head of Ukraine’s National Defense University, one of the country’s premier military training institutions. Kachur, who has held frontline leadership roles, is expected to modernize officer training programs based on battlefield experiences from Ukraine’s ongoing defense against Russian aggression.

“We need the highest quality training for our soldiers and officers – training based on the experience of this war and the heroism of Ukrainian warriors on the frontlines,” Zelensky said in announcing Kachur’s appointment.

Brigadier General Hennadii Shapovalov was also named coordinator of security assistance to Ukraine. Shapovalov will be responsible for ensuring the efficient delivery and integration of international weapons systems, amid continued concerns about Western aid logistics.

With US military assistance facing uncertainty due to political debates in Washington and delays in EU funding, Shapovalov’s role will be essential in maintaining Ukraine’s military readiness.