Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has implemented a sweeping sanctions package targeting Russian media organizations, propagandists, and judicial officials, marking another chapter in Ukraine’s ongoing efforts to counter Russian influence and what it describes as propaganda operations. The measures, which will remain in effect for ten years, were formally enacted through a presidential decree dated 12 June, following approval by the National Security and Defence Council.

The sanctions represent a coordinated effort by Ukraine to target individuals and entities it views as instrumental in promoting Russian narratives and facilitating activities in occupied territories. The decree places responsibility for implementation and monitoring across multiple Ukrainian government bodies, including the Cabinet of Ministers, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the National Bank, working in conjunction with the Commission on State Awards and Heraldry.

Among the 29 individuals sanctioned is Vladimir Solovyov, who heads the Russian Union of Journalists. Solovyov has been a prominent figure in Russian media circles and is widely known for his vocal support of Kremlin policies. The sanctions list also includes Rinat Bilalov, editor-in-chief of Tatmedia, and Shamil Sadykov, who serves as the organization’s director. These media figures have been identified by Ukrainian authorities as key players in disseminating what Kyiv characterizes as propaganda supporting Russian military actions and occupation.

The sanctions extend beyond media personalities to include members of Russia’s judiciary. Vitaliy Belitskyi, a judge from the Moscow City Court, has been targeted specifically for his role in sentencing Russian opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza to 25 years in prison. Kara-Murza’s imprisonment has drawn international condemnation from human rights organizations and Western governments, who view the case as emblematic of Russia’s crackdown on dissent. Also facing sanctions is Olesia Babariko, a judge operating in occupied Sevastopol, whom Ukraine’s Security Service accuses of collaboration with occupation authorities.

The measures encompass 17 media organizations, ranging from prominent Russian online publications to regional outlets operating in occupied territories. The list includes well-known platforms such as Gazeta.ru, Lenta.ru, and Utro.ru, along with FederalPress and SMI2. Notably, the sanctions target not just the Russian Union of Journalists as an organization, but also its regional branches established in occupied Crimea, Sevastopol, and the eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Luhansk oblasts.

This focus on media branches in occupied territories underscores Ukraine’s broader strategy of challenging the institutional framework Russia has attempted to establish in areas under its control. Since Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the full-scale invasion launched in February 2022, Moscow has worked to create parallel administrative and media structures in occupied Ukrainian territories, a process Kyiv views as illegal occupation and colonization.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been tasked with a crucial diplomatic component of the sanctions implementation. Officials are instructed to inform relevant authorities in the European Union, the United States, and other countries about the measures, while advocating for similar restrictive actions to be adopted internationally. This coordinated approach reflects Ukraine’s ongoing efforts to build a unified international response to Russian aggression and information operations.

The ten-year duration of these sanctions signals Ukraine’s expectation of a prolonged struggle against Russian influence operations. The measures form part of a broader toolkit that includes economic restrictions, travel bans, and asset freezes, all aimed at limiting the reach and effectiveness of Russian state narratives both within Ukraine and in territories under occupation.

As the conflict continues, information warfare remains a critical front, with both sides seeking to shape international perceptions and maintain domestic support. Ukraine’s latest sanctions package represents an attempt to disrupt what it views as systematic propaganda efforts while signaling to international partners the individuals and organizations it considers central to Russian information operations.