Sanctions of Ukraine against Russia

2024: Ukrainian companies completely banned from using Russian software

In mid-August 2024, the Ukrainian authorities supported a bill completely prohibiting local companies from using Russian software. It is argued that this measure is designed to strengthen the digital security of the state.

According to the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, the bill was developed on the instructions of the National Security and Defense Council of the country (NSDC). In accordance with the approved rules, Ukrainian companies and organizations are prohibited from using software created by Russian and other developers who are under sanctions regardless of their country of origin. In addition, the ban applies to websites and services that threaten the national security of Ukraine.

Ukraine decided to ban all Russian software

The document was developed by Gosspetsvyaz. It provides for the prohibition of access to electronic information resources on the Internet owned or controlled by persons or organizations against which sanctions have been applied. This also applies to electronic communication networks and information and communication systems. Ukrainian legal entities are prohibited from using software that:

• Created by individuals or legal entities from foreign countries in respect of which sanctions have been imposed;
• Developed by legal entities whose share in the authorized capital is owned by "unfriendly" states;
• Created by legal entities that are under the control of foreign legal entities or individuals engaged in terrorist activities;
• Created using the source or object code of sanctioned software products;
• Developed by sanctioned persons regardless of their country of origin.

It is assumed that the adoption of the bill will increase the cyber protection of the Ukrainian digital space from aggression from other states.^[1]

2022: Imposition of sanctions against companies, including Sogaz

On January 22, 2022, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy put into effect the decision of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) on sanctions against Russian companies and citizens. In particular, the Sogaz company fell under them.

Ukraine's sanctions involve blocking assets, stopping financial operations, preventing the withdrawal of capital outside the country. Restrictive measures were introduced for a period of five years.

The decree of the President of Ukraine notes that "the sanctions relate to the alienation of the premises of the Cathedral of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir and Princess Olga in Simferopol, other religious buildings, damage to church property and persecution of the community."

In total, 52 individuals and 24 legal entities fell under sanctions in January 2022, among them:

• Russian designer Artemy Lebedev;
• Permanent Representative of the President of Russia in the North Caucasus, former Prosecutor General Yury Chaika;
• Russian judges, including Supreme Court judges;
• head of the FSB department for Crimea and Sevastopol Leonid Mikhailyuk, and. about. Head of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for Crimea and Sevastopol Vladimir Terentyev and other Crimean officials;
• citizens Austria associated with the architectural bureau COOP HIMMELB (L) AU Wolf D. Prix & Partner;
• Lenpromtransproekt, Insurance Business Group, Geozemstroy, Giproshakht, Giprogor and Krymsetenergoproekt.

Ukrainian sanctions against Russian companies and a number of officials are a gesture of despair and resentment of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky against the reaction of American leader Joe Biden following talks with Russia, Adalbi Shkhagoshev, a member of the State Duma's security and anti-corruption committee, told RIA Novosti. The parliamentarian called the sanctions frivolous and added that they pose no real threat to Russia.^[2]

2021

Ukraine did not let a record number of Russians in a year

From the beginning of 2021 to December 21, Ukraine did not allow a record number of Russians - about 6.6 thousand. In 2020, 2.8 thousand citizens of the Russian Federation were denied passage across the border, then there was a significant reduction in the tourist flow due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. This was announced by the speaker of the State Border Service of Ukraine Andriy Demchenko.

According to him, Russians are not allowed into Ukraine, including due to the fact that before that they visited Crimea or Donbass. In addition to the ban on entry to Ukraine, Russians who traveled to these regions may be subjected to administrative or criminal punishment.

At checkpoints, control has been tightened to identify individuals who may pose a threat to our country, violated our law, and those who cannot explain the purpose of their journey. Most often denied entry for the following reasons:

• unconfirmed purpose of the trip;
• exceeding the length of stay;
• invalid documents;
• prohibition of entry into Ukraine.

Due to the ban on entry in 2021, 500 citizens of the Russian Federation were denied a pass. Foreign violators are prohibited from entering for 3 years. If they try to get into the country, despite the ban, they continue to 10 years. Many among those who are prohibited from entering, Russian musicians and artists who visited the Crimea.

Andriy Demchenko says that despite the fact that Russian artists are well aware that they violated Ukrainian law, but still try to enter the country. Some are trying to destroy evidence of their stay on the peninsula: deleting photos, videos and social media posts.

In 2021, more than 600 thousand citizens left Ukraine and did not return back. Writes about this TASS with reference to the Ukrainian monitoring service "Opendatabot," which provides access to state data from the main public registers for citizens and business.^[3]

Sanctions against Group-IB and Reg.Ru

In early November 2021, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy introduced new sanctions against Russian companies and institutions, including:

• Information security company Group-IB;
• Reg.Ru domain name registrar;
• Simferopol SIZO No. 1;
• shipyard "More" in Feodosia;
• Sevastopol Scientific and Technical Center "Impulse-2";
• Ukrainian airlines "Horse" and "Camus Air";
• "Ukrainian-Mediterranean Airlines."

According to the document, restrictive measures were introduced against 140 individuals and 50 legal entities. The new package of sanctions concerns citizens involved in organizing elections to the State Duma in Crimea and voting residents of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics.

In addition, businessmen Alexander Shcheglov, Andrey, Sergey and Ivan Schneider and Andrey Veikulainen fell under restrictions. RBC Ukraine""notes that they "tried to bring the MERE supermarket chain to the Ukrainian market." National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine banned the operation of chain stores in the country in mid-October 2021.

Sanctions imply blocking assets, restricting trade operations, a ban on transportation through Ukraine and a ban on participation in privatization and rental of state property.^[4] 

As the head of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs Leonid  Slutsky notes, the actions of Kyiv are a senseless step, since the elections are held according to Russian laws and such a measure on the part of Ukraine will have no effect.

All this theatrical action is more reminiscent of waving fists after a fight, but in Kyiv, it seems, they believe that all means are good for political PR, the parliamentarian argues.

The peninsula has been living for the eighth year according to Russian laws and is fully integrated into the legal field of the Russian Federation. No decrees of the President of Ukraine will change this, - said Slutsky in the Telegram channel.

Extension of sanctions against Russian IT companies and entrepreneurs

In May 2021, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree extending sanctions against Russian individuals and legal entities for three years. Among them are representatives of the IT industry, for example, co-founder of Parus Corporation Alexei Fedorenko and founder of 1C Boris Nuraliev.

The companies that fell under the sanctions included:

• payment systems WebMoney and; PayMaster
• "Megasoft";
• Kaspersky Lab;
• "Dr.Web";
• Yandex;
• "1C";
• Inline Group.

The total number of individuals against whom sanctions were imposed in the decree of May 2021 is 674, legal entities - 138, while in the decree of three years ago - 1748 and 756, respectively.

Sanctions against individuals include measures such as blocking assets, restriction of trade operations, partial or complete termination of the transit of resources, flights and transportation through the territory of Ukraine, preventing the withdrawal of capital outside Ukraine, suspension of the fulfillment of economic and financial obligations, revocation or suspension of licenses and other permits, the receipt or availability of which is a condition for the performance of a particular activity, in particular, the cancellation or suspension of special permits for the use of subsoil resources.

Among the sanctions for legal entities are the same measures as for individuals, plus additional restrictions in the field of commercial activity. The decree also lists domain names belonging to companies - their Ukrainian providers are obliged to block.

Press Secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov said that the introduction of new sanctions by the Ukrainian side lies "clearly not in the plane" of preparing a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky.^[5]

Ukraine lifted sanctions on the Ananyev brothers

On March 23, 2021 Ukraine , a decree appeared on the website of President Volodymyr Zelensky, lifting sanctions on the ex-owners Promsvyazbank Dmitry and. Alexey Ananyev The brothers were included in the sanctions list in 2019 for three years. More. here

Sanctions against Russian manufacturers of medical equipment and drugs

In February 2021, Ukraine imposed sanctions against several Russian manufacturers of medical equipment and medicines. Among them are Biotek LLC, Pharmacist Plus JSC (Rostov pharmaceutical supplier), Hemojenix LLC (produces consumables for plasmapheresis and cytoplasmapheresis, as well as blood containers). Read more here.

3-year ban on trade operations and transit of resources in Ukraine for InduSoft and ISS-Soft (ISS)

In February 2021, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree imposing sanctions against the Russian companies Inda-Soft and ISS-Soft (ISS). According to the document, which fell under the sanctions of the LLC for 3 years, it is forbidden to carry out trade operations and transit of resources in Ukraine. In addition, they canceled licenses and rights to intellectual property. They are also prohibited from withdrawing capital outside Ukraine. Read more here.

2019

Sanctions against online bookstores from Russia

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has expanded sanctions against Russian organizations and individuals. The new sanctions list was adopted on the basis of the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC)^[6] of ^[7]

Among others, the list includes Russian book publishers: Eksmo, AST, Yauza, Yauza-Press, Book World and Peter Publishing House. Also on the list were online stores selling books: "Озон.ру," "Litres" and "Лабиринт.ру."

Poroshenko's decree prohibits trading with these persons and fulfilling economic and financial obligations to them. In part of online stores, providers are also prohibited from providing access to their sites.

Ukraine imposed sanctions against 294 companies and 848 Russian citizens

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko put into effect the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) about additional personal sanctions against Russia, the relevant decree^[8]) on the website of the head ^[9] state ^[10]].

The National Security Council previously approved a decision to impose new sanctions against Russia. We are talking about measures against both legal entities and individuals, including companies, politicians, businessmen and employees of law enforcement agencies. The NSDC believes that these people and companies "actively supported or contributed to aggressive actions against Ukraine."

The press service of the council said that sanctions were imposed on 294 legal entities and 848 individuals. We are talking about those who, according to the council:

• participated in the process of building a bridge across the Kerch Strait;
• involved in the "armed attack and seizure of Ukrainian military boats";
• organized and contributed to the holding of "pseudo-elections" in the territory of Crimea, Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics;
• "demonstratively violated Ukrainian legislation," which concerns a visit to the territory of the Crimean peninsula;
• distributed publishing "products of anti-Ukrainian content";
• illegally received and use a museum collection belonging to Ukraine.

Ukrainian restrictions included citizens of South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Greece, Spain, Austria, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Brazil and Germany, who worked as observers in the elections to the LPR and DPR in November 2018. Sanctions against them provide, in particular, blocking assets. Ukraine stated that it considers the elections illegitimate. The observers were about 50 representatives of 14 countries.

The list also indicates:

• the head of Rosneft Igor Sechin,
• ex-co-owners Promsvyazbank Aleksei Dmitry and Ananyevs,
• head of Rostec Sergey Chemezov,
• Speaker of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin,
• Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak,
• authorized representative of the LPR at the talks in Minsk Vladislav Deinogo,
• First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security Vladimir Kozhin,
• ex-head of RZHDladimir Yakunin,
• Assistant to the President of Russia Andrei Fursenko,
• FSB Rear Admiral Sergei Stankevich, head of the border department for Crimea.

Sanctions against four banks with Russian capital have also been extended. Earlier, sanctions were imposed against Sberbank, Joint Stock Commercial Industrial and Investment Bank, VTB Bank and BM Bank.

2018

In Ukraine, began to block the sites of Russian media

In Ukraine, they began to block the resources of MIA Rossiya Segodnya and RIA Novosti Ukraine. This was reported on May 29, 2018 by RIA Novosti.

"In pursuance of the decree of the President of Ukraine of May 15, 2017, access to the resource is limited," such an inscription appears when trying to go to the site. Access to R-Sport, VGTRK, NTV and REN TV sites is also blocked.

By decree of the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko on May ​24, ​Kiyev included MIA Rossiya Segodnya and RIA Novosti Ukraine in the updated list of sanctions. According to the document, Internet service providers have to block access to the websites Россиясегодня.рф, Sputniknews.com, Ria.ru, Rsport.ria.ru, 1prime.ru, Realty.ria.ru, Riarating.ru, Inosmi.ru, Ria.ru/sn/, Rian.com.ua.

Ukraine banned Webmoney

In accordance with the decree of the President of Ukraine No. 126/2018^[11] OF ^[12]," sanctions were introduced for a period of three years against the owner of the payment system - the Lithuanian company WM Transfer Ltd (VM Transfer LTD2). Ukraine has^[13] from similar sanctions against VMR and WebManiRu.

Sanctions provide for blocking assets (temporary restriction of a person's right to use and dispose of owned property), restricting trade operations, preventing the withdrawal of capital outside Ukraine, suspending the fulfillment of economic and financial obligations, canceling or suspending licenses and other permits, the receipt (availability) of which is a condition for the implementation of a certain type of activity.

Other sanctions apply to WebMoney, including a ban on the issuance of permits, licenses of the National Bank of Ukraine for investing in a foreign country, placing foreign currency values ​ ​ on accounts and deposits on the territory of a foreign country, on the import and export of foreign currency values ​ ​ from Ukraine, a ban on the registration of the NBU participant in the international payment system, a ban on the transfer of technologies, rights to intellectual property.

Also, under the sanctions, Ukrainian Internet providers are prohibited from providing Internet users with access to WebMoney resources and services, including 40 subdomains related to the payment system.

Vkontakte and Yandex blocked in Ukraine remain popular

Despite the blocking of VKontakte and Yandex, the most popular resources in Ukraine. This was confirmed by studies that were carried out in order to identify the most popular resources in the country. Earlier, this was stated by the Internet Association of Ukraine^[14].

In terms of popularity, the first place is taken, Google then it goes, Youtube Facebook VKontakte (monthly audience coverage - 39%) and Yandex (monthly audience coverage - 38%). Remain popular "" and Schoolmates. Mail.ru

2017

Ban on Russian IT-Business in Ukraine. We assess the scale of the disaster

On May 16, 2017, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, by his decree, enacted the decision of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) on sanctions against Russian companies and their subsidiaries in Ukraine. In total, 468 legal entities were on the sanctions list, of which 81 were associated with the IT sector^[15]. TAdviser talked with a number of companies on the sanctions list and assessed the scale of the impact of sanctions on their business. More details - in a separate article:

• Ban on Russian IT-Business in Ukraine. We assess the scale of the disaster

Internet Association of Ukraine estimated the cost of blocking Russian sites at $1 billion

According to Alexander Fedienko, Chairman of the Board of the Internet Association of Ukraine (InAU), ensuring sanctions against the social networks VKontakte and Odnoklassniki, as well as VK (formerly Mail.ru Group), Yandex and their services, will cost Ukraine $1 billion, and it will take about two years to implement the task. "If we are talking about the current presidential decree, it must be implemented when it comes into force. If we are talking about further actions, then it takes a year - two or more and somewhere within the state $1 billion, "he said^[16].

Speaking about the mechanism for closing access, Fedienko noted that most likely the blocking of the entire autonomous system on which these sites and other platforms are located, which are not listed in the sanctions document, will be applied. As he explained, "the user will ultimately be deprived not only of access to such networks as VKontakte, but to other platforms that were in this system." According to the head of InAU, over time, users will be able to bypass the lock.

Yandex: Ukraine's sanctions are directed against its own citizens

"Unfortunately, the decision of the Ukrainian authorities concerns not only us. These are sanctions against 11 million Ukrainian users who choose our services every month, and against thousands of Ukrainian organizations who use our technologies and services to develop their businesses. The business of the Yandex group of companies is, of course, very large, and the sanctions will not have a negative impact on it, "the statement said Yandex."

Valentin Petrov, head of the information security service of the NSDC apparatus, said in May 2017 that Yandex Services is information about the state of the tracks, throughput and congestion of all roads in Ukraine online. "If you need to plan any offensive, breakthrough, or some other actions, then you won't come up with a better situation. Agents, scouts, even satellites are not needed either. We give everything ourselves, "Petrov said

.

EU warned Ukraine

The representative European Union office did not To Ukraine issue a statement in which it warned the country's authorities against excessive "tightening of the nuts." This was reported in May by the UNIAN agency.

"We

recognize that protecting national security is the prerogative of the Ukrainian government. However, we expect the authorities to take steps to ensure that restrictive measures taken on the basis of national security will not have a negative impact on the fundamental right to freedom of opinion, the document says.

The European Union is also waiting for further explanations from the Ukrainian authorities about the new restrictions, including how much they will act.

Human Rights Watch urged Poroshenko to remove blocking of Russian sites

Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to immediately cancel the decree blocking Russian sites. This is stated in a statement by the organization's expert on Ukraine, Tanya Cooper^[17].

According to Cooper, what happened is "another example of" with what "ease President Poroshenko is illegally trying to control public discourse in Ukraine." "Poroshenko may try to justify his last step, but this is a cynical, politically beneficial attack on the right to receive information, affecting millions of Ukrainians, their personal and professional lives," Cooper said. She also called on Ukraine to take all necessary measures to protect freedom of speech and information in the country.

DPR calls on Ukrainian developers "1C" left without work

The authorities of the unrecognized Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) decided to create a technopark. As the Minister of Communications of the Republic Viktor Yatsenko told CNews, the authorities took such a step after Ukraine imposed sanctions on Russian IT companies, the result of which should be the loss of work by many Ukrainian DPR programmers^[18] on^[19]

In Ukraine, there are now 900 thousand users of 1C products, the number of relevant developers Yatsenko estimates at 2 thousand. The DPR authorities are ready to offer them work in the new technopark. The investment of the Ministry of Communications of the republic in the project will amount to 60 million rubles. According to Yatsenko, the need for a technopark is associated with the great need for industrial enterprises of Donbass in corporate software. In early 2017, Ukrainian nationalists imposed a blockade against the DPR and another unrecognized republic - the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR).

Ex-deputy head of the Ministry of Finance on the ban on "1C": Tax audits expect collapse

According to the adviser to the Minister of Finance, the ex-deputy head of the Ministry of Finance Elena Makeeva, most accountants and Ukrainian companies use exactly 1C and there are no alternatives to this product for the mass market in Ukraine^[20].

"SAP, Oracle - ERP system is not an alternative, because such products are very expensive and... not every accountant knows how to use them... Neither SAP nor other similar products in the basic version have tax modules, so the investment is becoming more expensive for their development, "Makeeva is convinced.

The ex-deputy minister of finance believes that the quality of tax audits will deteriorate, and when using unlicensed or sanctioned software, or you need to be ready for the visit of "guests."

As an alternative to prohibited software products, it is worth considering outsourcing accounting services, the expert writes. "Of course, this service is more expensive than a full-time accountant. However, in conditions of sharing economy, such a service, in conditions of growing demand, can be significantly cheaper by the market itself, "she suggests.

"It is a good

prospect to change the accountant profession for those who are already tired of constant changes and tax audits... Return to worksheets - empty boxes, Excel. I am sure that the remuneration of such accountants will increase, there will not be many who want to return to Sovietization, "the minister's adviser concludes

.

Kyiv blocks the sites of Russian Internet companies and prohibits the IT-Business of subsidiaries

On May 15, 2017, it became known about Kyiv's plans to abandon the use of Russian electronics and software. The authorities of the Ukrainian capital are confident that this initiative will not require additional investment.

According to TASS, the Russian Information Agency, citing the website of the Kyiv municipality, the commission on transport, communications and advertising of the City Council, the agency supported the draft ban on the use of software and telecommunications equipment that was developed or produced in Russia. The ban will apply to local executive authorities, local governments and utilities, institutions and organizations, according to the City Council website.

According to the authors of the project, the rejection of Russian IT products will not require additional funding, since in this case we are talking about the redistribution of funds that previously went to the annual maintenance of foreign software in favor of the costs of their own developments. The cost of implementing the program will be even less than its annual support, the project initiators are sure.

According to the draft decision, in 2017 the City Council plans to develop and implement its own software products that will be used by local authorities and utilities.

We plan to apply a competitive transition, create our own software. And the costs of implementing the program will be even less than its annual maintenance,  the report says.

In September 2015, the Ukrainian government, in accordance with a decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, banned the use of software by Russian developers for whom sanctions were imposed. Then it was mainly about the antivirus company Kaspersky Lab^[21]

On May 16, 2017, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko signed a decree expanding the list of Russian companies against which sanctions were imposed. Among others, Yandex Mail.ru social networks and. VKontakte Odnoklassniki The presidential decree instructs Ukrainian Internet providers to block many popular Russian Internet resources.

The decision to block VKontakte, Odnoklassniki and Yandex in Ukraine is due to the fact that the personal data of service users "are stored in Russia, are at the full disposal and under the control of the Russian side." This was announced on the air of the 1 + 1 TV channel by the information security services of the apparatus of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine Valentin Petrov. According to Petrov, the Federal Security Service has full access to the personal data of users of Russian services. "We cannot put up with this, especially being in a state of hybrid war," Petrov said

.

At a meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavel Klimkin tried to explain the reasons why sanctions were imposed on a number of Russian sites. According to the press service of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Klimkin called this step "a response to the use of individual Russian Internet resources in a hybrid war waged against Ukraine." In addition, Klimkin thanked the Council of Europe for the program to promote reforms in Ukraine, which "is being implemented with the direct and significant support of the European Union."

Also in the decree we are talking about Kaspersky Lab",,,," DrWeb Abbyy"," 1CTo Galactica"," Parus"," To Ascona"," NVision Group"," "," Asterose",," I-Teco Softline"," "," "Corus ConsultingLetograf IT consulting," etc.

Sanctions were imposed both on the directly mentioned Russian companies and on their Ukrainian subsidiaries. In addition to them, dozens of Ukrainian IT companies that are implementing 1C and Parus products were on the sanctions lists: Alfa-com, Pershiy Bit, Skylan Software, Eurosoftprom, Softkorn and others.

Ukraine extended sanctions against Russian airlines

Ukraine has extended sanctions against Russian airlines for a year. "Restrictions, partial or complete termination of the transit of resources, flights and transportation through the territory of Ukraine" will be applied to Russian carriers.

In addition to Aeroflot and UTair, the sanctions list approved by Petro Poroshenko included the airlines Russia Siberia, VIM-AVIA, Gazprom Avia, Donavia, Kogalymavia, Orenburg Airlines, Polet, Red Wings, Ural Airlines.

Economic sanctions against Sberbank, Gazprom structures, and Rostec state corporation have also been extended.

2016

National Bank of Ukraine banned the use of Russian payment systems

4 electronic payment systems were banned: WebMoney, Yandex.Money, QIWI Wallet and Wallet one. The reason for this decision was the lack of coordination with the NBU of the provision of services.

The ban on use applies not only to banking participants, but also to users.

The telegram of the National Bank of Ukraine, in particular, says: "Due to the fact that the rules for using electronic money indicated above trademarks were not agreed by the National Bank of Ukraine, the provision of services using these trademarks is prohibited to users."

It is also noted that the NBU has agreed on the work of the domestic settlement system WebMoney.UA.

The

payment service QIWI expressed surprise at this statement by the NBU: "We are surprised to be included in this list, since since 2012 QIWI has not been operating in Ukraine."

Earlier, several more Russian payment systems fell under the expanded sanctions of Ukraine, which entered into force on October 31. Among them were: "Golden Crown," Blizko, International money transfers "Leader," Anelik, "Unistream," "Hummingbird" (formerly - "Blitz").

See also:

• Electronic payment systems in Russia
• Electronic payment systems in Ukraine
• Mobile Payment Services
• Payment Terminals (Instant Payment Systems)

Meanwhile, Vkontakte"" launched money transfers to Ukraine, you can get a transfer to banks cards issued by Ukraine MasterCard and Maestro.

"We are convinced that against the background of news about the restriction of some money transfer systems in Ukraine, our service will be in demand," Yury Ivanov, director of e-commerce at VKontakte, was quoted in a press release. According to him, until January 8 of the following year, the social network and Mastercard organized a joint action, in which "when sending a transfer to Ukraine, a commission is not charged, and the recipient of the transfer is entitled to a gift." As Ivanov said, ​pri transferring money through a social network, the recipient can accept it within five days.

Transfers are made in Russian rubles, and when credited to a card with an account in hryvnia or other currency, the conversion takes place at the rate of the bank that issued the recipient's card.

Ukraine excluded Kaspersky Lab from the sanctions list

Ukraine excluded Kaspersky Lab from the list of companies subject to restrictive measures in October, but left its subsidiary Kaspersky Lab Ukraine. The corresponding decision is contained in the decree of the President of Ukraine under number 467/2016, posted on the website of the head of state^[22][23].

Kaspersky Lab and its subsidiary have been on the list since September 2, 2015. The Russian developer of antivirus software "Dr.Web" is still on the list. As noted in the document published on the website of the Presidential Administration, the reason for the imposition of sanctions against companies was actions that create real or potential threats to national interests and security, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

According to the decree, it is prohibited to carry out public procurement and the use by state authorities of Ukraine of antivirus software solutions "Kaspersky" produced by Russian commercial structures.

2015: Sanctions against Kaspersky Lab and Dr.Web

On September 16, 2015, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko signed an addendum to the decree banning the implementation of public procurement from several dozen companies, among which were Russian Kaspersky Lab and. "Dr.Web"

According to RIA Novosti with reference to the official website of the head of Ukraine, 388 individuals and 105 legal entities fell under the sanctions. Doctor Web, Kaspersky Lab and its subsidiary, which are on this list, are prohibited from selling their products to state institutions and enterprises of Ukraine, since these decisions, as follows from Poroshenko's decree, create a potential threat to the country's national security and contribute to terrorist activities.^[24]

According to IDC analysts for 2014, Kaspersky Lab's share in the Ukrainian antivirus market was 50%. The top three, which also included Dr.Web and Eset, controlled 80% of sales of this software in the country. In 2015, experts predict a 10 percent decline in sales of antivirus software in Ukraine.

Earlier, Kaspersky Lab called Ukraine one of the leaders in the spread of computer viruses. In 2014, 47% of local Internet users were attacked by malware, TASS reports the Russian Information Agency.^[25]

IT blockade of Crimea

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Foreign sanctions against Russian citizens and companies

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Notes