Russia sanctions to target 360 Ukrainian firms, 50 citizens

The Russian government’s approaching sanctions against
Ukraine will target 360 enterprises and 50 citizens, the tass.ru news agency
reported on Oct. 30. “The document will be signed by the government’s head in
the nearest future and published afterwards,” said an anonymous source,
referring to Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. Russian President Putin approved
on Oct. 22 the retaliatory sanctions in response those imposed in June by
Ukraine against 30 Russian enterprises and 14 citizens.

“There will be many interesting revelations for
Ukraine’s citizens, who will see that some of their leaders and their entourage
– who have radical positions, including on the relations between the two
countries and peoples – are interested in profiting off these very relations,”
said the anonymous source.

Russia is creating the preconditions for an economic
blockade of Ukraine’s sea and river ports, State Border Service Head Petro
Tsyhykal said on Oct. 30, as reported by his press service. Russia continues to
violate international maritime norms in Ukraine’s maritime economic zone,
employing “baseless naval and law enforcement activity,” he said.

Zenon Zawada: Russia’s
economic pressure against Ukraine is intended to influence the 2019
presidential and parliamentary elections. The Russian-oriented parties will be
competing on the basis of renewing ties, which will draw much support from the
southeastern regions, particularly if the hypocrisy of Ukraine’s pro-Western
politicians is exposed, as this report alleges. These Russian-oriented
politicians openly admit they are seeking to form the next parliamentary
majority. We believe they will form the parliamentary opposition, at minimum.

Former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who is
currently leading the polls in the presidential race, has based her campaign on
raising economic standards. Although her rhetoric remains staunchly in favor of
Euro-Atlantic integration, we believe she will send signals to voters –
particularly in southeastern Ukraine – that she will seek to renew economic
activity with Russia. We expect this will happen in the weeks leading up to the
second-round runoff (in April), in which she is likely to compete against
President Poroshenko.