The US administration sanctioned four Ukrainian officials on Thursday, accusing them of being complicit in Russian-backed destabilization efforts in Ukraine.
It comes as the US has threatened to retaliate if Russia invades Ukraine. Russia has amassed a force of 100,000 troops on the Ukrainian border but denies preparing an offensive. Russian authorities have demanded formal guarantees from NATO that it will cease all military activities in Eastern Europe and Ukraine, but the alliance's members have refused to make such pledges.
According to a U.S. Treasury Department press release, four Ukrainian officials are suspected of having played various roles in Russia's global influence campaign aimed at destabilizing sovereign nations. The sanctions target two current members of Ukraine's parliament, Taras Kozak and Oleh Voloshyn, as well as two former government officials, Volodymyr Oliynyk and Vladimir Sivkovich.
All four have been involved in disinformation efforts by Russia’s federal security service (FSB) to set the pretext for a potential further invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. government alleges.
21 Jan 2022
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