Ukraine introduces sanctions against Russian archaeologists because of excavations in Crimea
On December 27th, the Minister of Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons of Ukraine Vadym Chernysh stated that Ukraine is imposing sanctions on Russian archaeologists who “illegally carried out excavations” in the annexed Crimea.
According to him, this will create a “negative image among organizations that work with them.”
“Ukraine applies sanctions not only to Russian politicians and businessmen. The list includes archaeologists who illegally excavated in the Crimea. We are talking about individuals who violate the regime of occupied territories, and we will spread a negative image among organizations that work with them”, wrote Vadim Chernysh on Twitter.
On December 26th, the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine supported the decision on imposing sanctions against Russian legal entities and individuals for illegal elections on the territories of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, not under Kyiv’s control, and also due to Russian aggression in the Kerch Strait.
On December 18th, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine decided to submit proposals to the National Security Council for the application of a number of sanctions to legal entities and individuals due to activities in the annexed Crimea. The list includes 23 people who conducted illegal archaeological prospecting at cultural heritage sites or “participated in events aimed at legitimizing the illegal occupation of the Crimea and Sevastopol,” and also the leaders or founders of enterprises involved in the construction of a bridge across the Kerch Strait.
In total, 682 people are on the Ukrainian sanctions list due to the annexation of the Crimea and the conflict in the Donbas. This list includes citizens of Ukraine, Russia and a number of other countries.