Key facts
- President Volodymyr Zelensky has increasingly used sanctions against Ukrainian citizens.
- Sanctions were initially intended to target Russia and its proxies.
- Legal experts argue the use of sanctions against domestic citizens lacks sufficient legal justification and may be politicized.
- Former lawmaker Boryslav Bereza, a pro-Western politician, was sanctioned on July 7.
- Former President Petro Poroshenko was sanctioned in February 2025.
- The concentration of power in Zelensky's hands may contribute to the increased use of sanctions.
President Volodymyr Zelensky's administration is increasingly employing sanctions against Ukrainian citizens, a practice that legal experts and political analysts argue is legally dubious and potentially politicized. While sanctions were initially introduced in 2014 as a tool to combat Russia and its proxies, they are now reportedly being used to punish domestic critics and opponents, raising concerns about the rule of law.
Experts note that the rationale for anti-Russian sanctions was strong, but the mechanism has been broadened. Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, a lawmaker from the liberal Holos party, stated that the lack of clear public links between sanctions and activities against the state suggests increasing politicization. Political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko added that sanctions have become associated with internal political infighting, lacking sufficient legal justification.
Legal experts like Mykhailo Zhernakov, head of judicial watchdog Dejure, argue that imposing sanctions without court evaluation of evidence is incompatible with the rule of law. He contends that sanctions should exclusively target foreign nationals beyond the reach of domestic justice.
Under former President Petro Poroshenko, sanctions were primarily directed at Russia, with legal constraints generally observed. However, Fesenko suggests Zelensky has a different approach to legal limits, being more radical and inclined towards quick decisions, especially given the concentration of power in his administration.
A turning point occurred in 2021 when Zelensky began sanctioning Ukrainian pro-Russian politicians, notably Viktor Medvedchuk and his associated TV channels, who were actively opposing Zelensky. Fesenko believes this demonstrated the power of sanctions as an instrument independent of the courts, delivering rapid results.
With unprecedented wartime powers granted in 2022 following Russia's full-scale invasion, the sanctions mechanism became even more potent. This, combined with measures like stripping citizenship, has given the president significant influence. For instance, Hennady Korban, a former ally of oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky, was stripped of his citizenship, with observers suspecting his Israeli citizenship as a pretext, despite Korban's role in organizing volunteer battalions.
In February 2025, Zelensky extended the use of sanctions to his main political opponent, former President Petro Poroshenko. Yurchyshyn and Fesenko suspect that Zelensky's Deputy Chief of Staff Oleh Tatarov and former Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak may have been instrumental in pushing for these sanctions against political rivals.