Zelensky imposes sanctions against prominent Russian athletes, including footballer Igor Akinfeev, ice dancer Ilya Averbukh

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has approved the decision made by the country’s Council of National Security, introducing sanctions against 82 prominent Russian athletes, as per his website.

The sanctioned individuals include former Russia and active CSKA Moscow goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev, ex-Russia and Everton midfielder Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, and Yury Gazinsky (also previously a national team player). Non-football entrants include head of the Russian Triathlon Federation and daughter of Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu Ksenia Shoigu, ice dancers Ilya Averbukh and Nikita Katsalapov, swimmer Anton Chupkov, biathlete Svetlana Ishmuratova, and artistic gymnast Svetlana Khorkina.

On top of that, Zelensky signed another decree that approves sanctions against 351 Russian individuals and 241 legal entities. Those include scientists and entrepreneurs, as well as Yandex, Rambler, VK, Gazpromneft IT Solutions, RT-Invest Transport Systems, InnoTech, and Softline Trade.

In early April, Ukraine imposed sanctions against more than 200 Russian nationals and 225 Russian companies. Vyacheslav Boguslaev, ex-president of Motor Sich Zaporizhzhia, who is now in custody, was among the sanctioned individuals.

Restrictions were imposed for a period of five to ten years. They provide for the blocking of assets, the termination of trading operations, the annulment of licences, as well as the ban on the conclusion of contracts and transactions.

The wife and son of Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, Lyubov Kabaeva, the mother of gymnast Alina Kabaeva, the daughter Chechnya’s governor Ramzan Kadyrov Tabarik Kadyrova, as well as Lyubov and Nadezhda Kiriyenko, the daughters of Deputy Head of Putin’s Presidential Administration Sergey Kiriyenko, also fell under Ukrainian sanctions.