Ukraine prepares sanctions list of 12000 Russians; urges countries to impose penalties

As the raging war in Eastern Europe transcended 100 days, Ukraine has compiled a sanctions list comprising 12,000 Russians who have partaken in or actively promoted Ukraine's invasion. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleh Nikolenko reportedly told Hromadske media outlet that Ukraine would seek the global community to implement sanctions on those who encourage or are involved in Russia's military aggression. Furthermore, the sanctions list contains the name of Patriarch Kirill, the chief of Russia's Orthodox Church, who was spared from the EU's sixth round of embargoes on June 2 at Hungary's request. 

As per Nikolenko, embattled Ukraine and its allies are developing an effective framework that would prioritise the imposition of personal sanctions against all criminals, Babel.ua reported. 

In addition to this, the EU formally confirmed the implementation of the sixth package of embargoes against Russia on June 3. Owing to Hungary's continual obstruction, the sanctions were debated for about a month. Russia has, meanwhile, been subjected to an oil embargo. 

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine's soldiers have made "some success" in the fighting in Severodonetsk and have been able to endure Russian military strikes.  

Military situation in the Donbas area has not altered: Zelenskyy

Despite Ukrainian forces' resistance to Russian strikes, Zelenskyy emphasised in his daily video address on Thursday that the general military situation in the Donbas area has not altered. The Ukrainian President's statement came after reports surfaced on Thursday claiming that street fighting in Severodonetsk had persisted. 

According to media reports, Zelenskyy stated, “The situation in the Donbas has not changed significantly over the last 24 hours... As in the cities and communities nearby — Lysychansk, Bakhmut and other cities where (there is) such a powerful attack by Russia." 

Furthermore, Zelenskyy added that the Russian army uses all of its military capabilities and does not count people in the militias in the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics. 

Apart from these, on June 3, the Joint Forces Operation of Ukraine claimed that Russian strikes in the region killed four people, including a child, and wounded three others. Ukraine has further repelled 9 Russian strikes in Donbas. Over 20 settlements in the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts were also reportedly targeted by Russian forces, resulting in the destruction of 26 civilian infrastructure sites and a power line, Kyiv Independent reported.  

(Image: AP)