Ukraine on Friday imposed sanctions on controversial tycoon Dmytro Firtash for selling titanium products to Russian military enterprises, the presidency said in a statement.
The ex-Soviet country has been fighting pro-Russia separatists in its eastern Donetsk and Lugansk regions since 2014, following Moscow's annexation of the Crimean peninsula.
Kiev accuses Moscow of sending troops and arms to fuel the conflict, referring to the separatists and those who support them as terrorists.
In a statement on its website, the Ukrainian presidency said it had imposed "a full package of sanctions" on Firtash, though it did not provide specifics.
"According to the state security service and intelligence, the businessman's titanium companies supplied raw materials for military enterprises in the Russian Federation," the statement said.
Firtash, one of Ukraine's richest men and a one-time ally of ousted president Viktor Yanukovych, is wanted for bribery and racketeering charges in the United States.
He was detained in Austria in March 2014 over the U.S. allegations and the country's supreme court ruled in 2019 that he could be extradited.
But Firtash remains in Austria, where he is appealing the extradition and can remain until a ruling is made.
If extradited, the Ukrainian tycoon, who denies all charges and says he was the victim of a smear campaign, faces years in prison.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
