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Action Targets Eight Ukrainian Separatists, a Russian Pro-Separatist Organization and Three of its Leaders, a Crimean Bank, and Three Former Yanukovych Officials

WASHINGTON – The United States supports the Minsk agreements and views them as the best means to a diplomatic resolution of the conflict in eastern Ukraine. The proof of Russia’s peaceful intentions in Ukraine would be in its full and unambiguous implementation of the September Minsk agreements and the February 12 Minsk Implementation Plan. Recent assaults by Russian-armed separatists, however, particularly those that have targeted Debaltseve and Mariupol – two cities that unquestionably lie outside of separatist-occupied territory according to the September 19 ceasefire line – constitute violations of the letter and spirit of the Minsk agreements.





As part of an ongoing effort to hold accountable those responsible for violations of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, the U.S. Department of the Treasury today imposed sanctions on eight Ukrainian separatists and one pro-separatist Russian entity and its leaders pursuant to E.O. 13660 for being responsible for or complicit in actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine, for being leaders of such entities, or for asserting governmental authority over a part or region of Ukraine without the authorization of the Government of Ukraine. Additionally, Treasury today designated and blocked the assets of one bank pursuant to E.O. 13685 for operating in the Crimea region of Ukraine, and three individuals pursuant to E.O. 13660 for the misappropriation of state assets of Ukraine. These sanctions follow similar action taken by the European Union and Canada on February 16. We continue to work to remain in lockstep with our international partners in our efforts to incentivize a diplomatic resolution to the crisis in Ukraine.





“From the start of this crisis, we have demonstrated that we will impose costs on those who violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. That includes individuals, organizations, businesses, and the governments that support them,” said Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Adam J. Szubin. “If Russia continues to support destabilizing activity in Ukraine and violate the Minsk agreements and implementation plan, the already substantial costs it faces will continue to rise.”





Undermining Ukraine’s Sovereignty – Executive Order 13660





Roman Lyagin has served as the chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) and as minister of social and labor policy of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR). In his role as CEC chairman, he helped organize a number of votes in the region that were denounced as illegal by the government of Ukraine in Kyiv, including a May 2014 “independence referendum” and a November 2014 election for leadership positions in the self-proclaimed DPR. In addition, Lyagin actively interfered with the internationally-recognized national Ukrainian elections by confiscating ballots and preventing voting in the May 2014 Ukrainian parliamentary elections and the October 2014 election for Ukraine’s President. He has been designated for having asserted governmental authority over a part or region of Ukraine without the authorization of the Government of Ukraine, and for having engaged in actions that have undermined democratic processes in Ukraine.





Yuriy Ivakin is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13660 for asserting governmental authority over a part or region of Ukraine without the authorization of the Government of Ukraine, and for being a leader of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR), an entity whose property and interest in property are blocked by this order. Ivakin has led the ministry of internal affairs of the self-proclaimed LPR. In May 2014, Ivakin, accompanied by representatives of the self-proclaimed LPR, entered the regional directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs in Luhansk and declared himself the head of the regional directorate.





Aleksandr Karaman has held a number of leadership posts within the self-proclaimed DPR, including minister for social and labor policy, foreign minister, deputy prime minister, and deputy chairman of the council of ministers. Karaman is being designated for being a leader of the self-proclaimed DPR, and for threatening the peace, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Ukraine.





Oleksandr Khodakovskyy is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13660 for being responsible for or complicit in actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine, and for asserting governmental authority over a part or region of Ukraine without the authorization of the Government of Ukraine. Khodakovskyy is the former head of the self-proclaimed DPR security service, and is the chief of the Vostok Battalion, a unit of the DPR militia that engaged in fighting with the Ukrainian military at Donetsk Airport.





Senior “rebel commander” Serhii Zdriliuk served as an aide to Igor Girkin (a.k.a Igor Strelkov), former “defense minister” of the self-proclaimed DPR. Zdriliuk and Girkin were involved in the takeover of Ukraine’s Crimea region that led to Russia’s illegal annexation of the region in March 2014. He is being designated for actions that threaten the territorial integrity of Ukraine, and has acted on behalf of the self-proclaimed DPR. Girkin was designated in June 2014 pursuant to E.O. 13660.





The Eurasian Youth Union has actively recruited individuals with military and combat experience to fight on behalf of the self-proclaimed DPR and has stated that it has a covert presence in Ukraine. Aleksandr Dugin, Andrey Kovalenko, and Pavel Kanishchev are leaders of the Eurasian Youth Union. This group and its leaders are being designated for being responsible for or complicit in actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, or sovereignty or territorial integrity of Ukraine.





Ekaterina Gubareva is being designated for being responsible for or complicit in actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine. Gubareva previously held the title of foreign minister of the self-proclaimed DPR, and has engaged in efforts to transfer funds from Russia to the DPR. She was a signatory to an October 2014 statement signed by self-proclaimed DPR and LPR leaders and representatives refusing to return to the Government of Ukraine control of the Ukrainian side of the international border with Russia.





Sergei Abisov was appointed minister of interior affairs of the self-proclaimed Republic of Crimea in May 2014. Abisov is being designated because he has asserted governmental authority over a part or region of Ukraine without the authorization of the Government of Ukraine.





Oleg Kozyura is the head of the Federal Migration Service of Russia in Sevastopol, Crimea, and is responsible for the systematic and expedited issuance of Russian passports for the residents of Crimea. As leader of the Federal Migration Service of Russia in Sevastopol, Kozyura facilitated the issuance of more than 260,000 Russian passports to the citizens of Sevastopol and other regions. Kozyura is being designated because he leads an entity that has, or whose members have, asserted governmental authority over a part of Ukraine without the authorization of the Government of Ukraine.





Crimean Bank – Executive Order 13685





Russian National Commercial Bank (RNCB) is being designated today pursuant to E.O. 13685 for operating in the Crimea region of Ukraine. RNCB had no presence in the Crimea region of Ukraine prior to its occupation and attempted annexation by Russia and Russian authorities have used the bank to facilitate its illegal efforts to incorporate Crimea into the Russian Federation. Following the annexation, RNCB bought or took over branches of retreating banks and now operates the largest banking network in Crimea.





Former Yanukovych Officials and Misappropriation of Ukrainian State Assets – Executive Order 13660





Mykola Azarov is the former Prime Minister of Ukraine. Azarov is being designated because he is responsible for the misappropriation of state assets of Ukraine.





Serhiy Arbuzov is the former First Deputy Prime Minister and former acting Prime Minister of Ukraine. He is being designated for acting on behalf of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych as First Deputy Prime Minister and as a member of Yanukovych’s inner circle. Arbuzov was a leading member of a group of Yanukovych political appointees responsible for key economic positions in the government.





Raisa Bohatyriova is the former Minister of Health of Ukraine. She is currently under investigation in Ukraine for the large-scale embezzlement of state funds and the illegal transfer of those funds outside the territory of Ukraine. She is being designated for the misappropriation of state assets of Ukraine.





All the individuals and entities designated today are blocked. Their property and interests in property within U.S. jurisdiction are frozen and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from doing business with them.





For identifying information on the individuals and entities named in this release, please click here





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