Page 2 - bne_newspaper_November_02_2018

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November 2, 2018 www.intellinews.com I Page 2
Russia imposes sanctions against Ukraine companies, businessmen, politicians
and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) trade pact with the EU.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin has described Russia's sanctions as Moscow's attempt to affect Ukraine in the run-up to elections in the country slated for 2019.
"Even an absolutely superficial analysis of Russia's so-called sanctions list and the time of its publica- tion indicates the start of a multi-episode soap op- era to try to influence Ukraine in the run-up to the elections and after them," he wrote on his official Facebook page on November 1. "But in fact this is not even the first episode, this is only a teaser."
Medvedev's resolution imposed special economic measures, such as freezing accounts and deposits, uncertified securities, and assets in the territory of Russia, and a ban on transferring funds out of Russia.
Among blacklisted companies were some Ukraine's public firms, specifically, the nation's largest poultry producer MHP, sunflower oil producer Kernel and Ukraine’s largest iron ore pellet exporter Ferrexpo. MHP's media office said the same day that Moscow's sanctions would not affect the company's operations. Other sanctioned companies did not provide immediate comments.
Among other blacklisted companies were the Kharkiv Tractor Plant, Ukrkhimenergo, Pokrovsky Mining, Galnaftogaz Concern, Kryvy Rih Iron Ore Plant, Skhidny Mining, Dniproazot, Bank Credit Dnepr and AvtoKrAZ.
A number of Ukrainian top-businessmen were also included to the Moscow sanction list. Spe- cifically, Russia targeted oligarch Victor Pinchuk, who owns holding Interpipe. Pinchuk is married
to Olena Pinchuk, the daughter of ex-president Leonid Kuchma.
Among other targeted businessmen is ex-owner of nationalised PrivatBank Hennady Bogolyubov. At the same time, Moscow avoided blacklisting his business partner, Ukraine’s controversial oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky, who locked in bitter legal disputes with Moscow over his losses in annexed Crimea.
Among other targeted businessmen are Olek- sandr Yaroslavsky (DCH group of companies), Konstantin Grigorishin (Energy Standard Group), Andriy Verevsky (Kernel) and Yuriy Kosiuk (MHP), Vitaliy Antonov (OKKO), Oleksiy Vadatursky (Nibu- lon), Oleksandr Hereha (Epicenter and Nova Linia), Filia Zhebrovska (Farmak), Hlib Zahoriy (Darnitsa), Stepan Ivakhiv (WOG), Volodymyr Kostelman (Fozzy Food), Roman Chihir (Fozzy Group), Oleh Sotnikov (Fozzy Group), Leonid Yuru- shev (Unibudinvest), Roman Matsola (First Private Brewery), and Pavlo Fuks (Ukrrosleasing).
Some heads of the largest private holdings were also placed on the list, specifically, Metinvest CEO Yuriy Ryzhenkov, Smart Holding CEO Oleksiy Pertin, StarLightMedia CEO Volodymyr Borodiansky, SCM CEO Oleh Popov.
"Can't scare a hedgehog with a derriere"
Russia also blacklisted former Ukrainian prime ministers Yulia Tymoshenko and Arseniy Yatse- nyuk. Tymoshenko is currently the front runner to win next year’s presidential election and including her in the sanctions list is probably a boon to her campaign, as she is seen as too close to Moscow by some. While prime minister Tymoshenko nego- tiated what turned out to be a disastrous gas deal with Russia that lead to Ukraine paying some of the highest prices in Europe for gas.
Among the incumbent officials who were included to the list are the Interior Minister Arsen Avakov and National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov.
The latter said the same day that Moscow "can't