Zelenskyy Sanctions 20 Russian Artists, Including Serhiy Polunin

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has imposed sanctions on a number of Russian actors, singers, and athletes. The list includes former Kherson ballet dancer Serhiy Polunin, who supported the Putin regime.

This is evidenced by the relevant decree No. 246/2025, signed by the head of state.

"To put into effect the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine of April 18, 2025 "On the application of personal special economic and other restrictive measures (sanctions)," the document says.

The decree comes into force on the day of its publication.

The sanctions were imposed on 20 Russian actors, singers and athletes, including Kherson-born Polunin.

At the beginning of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, the dancer declared his support for the Kremlin dictator by getting a tattoo of his portrait. Later, the artist got another tattoo on his temple - a star of David, causing a wave of outrage even in the international community.

Polunin once studied at the Kyiv Choreographic School and later in London. In 2018, he received Russian citizenship and became the director of the Opera and Ballet Theater in occupied Sevastopol. The artist toured Russia extensively, raising funds for the needs of the Russian army, including drones and thermal imagers. However, in December 2024, Polunin unexpectedly announced his emigration from Russia, saying that he had "fulfilled his mission."

The sanctions include the deprivation of state awards, asset freezes, restrictions on trade, a ban on media distribution in Ukraine, etc.

The sanctions list also includes actress Iryna Apeksimova, actor Vitaliy Gogunsky, actor and singer Mykyta Dzhygurda, singer Yaroslav Dronov (Shaman), film director Yegor Konchalovsky, trainer Yuriy Kuklachev, actor Oscar Kuchera, actor Yevgeny Mironov, actor Alexander Pankratov-Chorny, performers Nikolai Rastorguev and Alexander Rosenbaum, Igor Sukachev, ballet dancer Nikolai Tsiskaridze, and rapper-artist Roman Chumakov (Zhigan).

Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council recently imposed new sanctions on 71 individuals and 18 organizations involved in pro-Russian activities. The list includes former MPs from Odesa and Kherson regions. In particular, Tetiana Plachkova, who used to be a member of the OPFL political party banned in Ukraine and later resigned her parliamentary mandate. The restrictions affected Artem Dmytruk from Odesa, as well as the late former MP from the Servant of the People party, Oleksiy Kovalev from Kherson region.

Ірина Глухова