The judge in the Roshchina case and Kremlin propaganda outlets have been hit with sanctions

Ukraine has introduced a new package of sanctions against individuals and entities involved in the persecution of Ukrainians in Russia and in the occupied territories. The list includes a Moscow judge linked to the case of journalist Viktoria Roshchina, who died after being held in Russian captivity. 

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has enacted another package of sanctions targeting representatives of the Russian judicial system, propaganda entities, and organizations involved in the persecution of Ukrainian citizens. The list includes 29 individuals and 17 legal entities.

Among those on the sanctions list is Moscow judge Timur Vakhrameev. The Office of the President notes that he has repeatedly issued rulings in cases involving Ukrainian citizens that bear the hallmarks of political persecution. In particular, he is linked to the unlawful detention of Ukrainian journalists and the case of journalist Viktoria Roshchina.

According to the Office of the President, the judge facilitated the isolation of illegally detained Ukrainians and was involved in decisions that allowed for the journalist’s imprisonment. The journalist was taken into Russian captivity, where she was tortured and died.

It is worth noting that the judge, as well as a number of employees of the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service in the Rostov region, had previously been included on the European Union’s sanctions lists due to their possible involvement in the death of the Ukrainian journalist.

In addition to representatives of the Russian judicial system, the new Ukrainian sanctions have targeted a number of propaganda media outlets and their leaders. The list includes well-known Russian news outlets, such as "Gazeta.ru," "Lenta.ru," and the Union of Journalists of Russia.

The occupiers first detained Viktoria Roshchina in Berdyansk in March 2022, when she was reporting for the media on life in the temporarily occupied territories. At that time, the journalist was released after being forced to record a video statement saying she had no complaints against the Russian military. Roshchina returned to territory controlled by Ukraine, but in July 2023, she traveled to the occupied territories again. At that time, the SBU confirmed to her family that Viktoria had been taken captive by Russian forces.

Анна Бальчінос