OREANDA-NEWS. The EU Council officially extended for a year individual sanctions against ex-President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych and nine other people from his entourage, while excluding from the black list the former Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and Minister of Energy Eduard Stavitsky. This is stated in a statement issued on Thursday by the EU Council.

"The Council decided to extend for one year until March 6, 2021, a decision to freeze assets in respect of 10 individuals responsible for misuse of Ukrainian state funds. Prohibition measures against two persons have not been extended", the document says. This decision will enter into force on Thursday, after its publication in the Official Journal of the EU. On Wednesday, a Russian media source said that former Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and Energy Minister Eduard Stavitsky were excluded from the blacklist.

On March 5, 2014, the European Union introduced targeted sanctions against 18 citizens of Ukraine, including Yanukovych, his two sons, the former Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov and those close to them. The sanctions were introduced for one year and included a ban on entry into the community and the freezing of bank assets.