President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a decree enacting the National Security and Defense Council's decision to deprive 34 people of state awards. In particular, these are Russian singers Nikolai Baskov and Philip Kirkorov and singers Ani Lorak and Taisiya Povaliy, UNN reports.
Details
"President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree enacting the decision of the National Security and Defense Council to deprive traitors of state awards," the statement reads.
The first list includes 34 people. Among them are former government officials, MPs, heads of the SBU and the Prosecutor General's Office, prosecutors, artists, and Russian political, religious, and cultural figures. All of them have been deprived of Ukrainian state awards for life.
Ten of them were subject to the maximum set of sanctions - 21 types. These include not only the deprivation of state awards of Ukraine, but also the blocking of assets, revocation of licenses and permits, and the complete cessation of trade operations.
It is noted that seven of them were sanctioned for the first time. In particular, this is the former first deputy leader of the Party of Regions and head of the relevant faction, Oleksandr Yefremov. He was awarded the Order of Merit of the I-III degrees and the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise of the V degree. Former First Deputy Prosecutor General of Ukraine Renat Kuzmin. He was awarded the Order of Merit of the II-III degrees and the title of Honored Lawyer of Ukraine.
Also, eight people who are already under other sanctions imposed by Ukraine were deprived of state awards of Ukraine:
Viktor Medvedchukis a former MP of the II-IV and IX convocations. He was awarded the Order of Merit of the I-III degrees and the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise of the V degree, and was named Honored Lawyer of Ukraine.
Former Minister of Education and Science (2010-2014) Dmytro Tabachnyk. He was awarded the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise of IV-V degrees and the title of Honored Worker of Science and Technology.
Former Prime Minister of Ukraine (2010-2014) Mykola Azarov, who was awarded the Order of Merit of the I-III degrees and the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise of the V degree, and also held the title of Honored Economist of Ukraine.
In addition, the former Prosecutor General of Ukraine (2010-2014) Viktor Pshonkawas also deprived of the state award of Ukraine. He was awarded the Order of Merit of the III degree.
Former MP of the III-IX convocations, Andrii Derkach. He was awarded the Order of Merit of the III degree.
Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church and former KGB agent, Patriarch Kirill . He was awarded the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, first class.
Russian singers Nikolai Baskov, Philip Kirkorov, Alexander Malinin, Russian composer Igor Krutoy, and singers Karolina Kuek (Ani Lorak) and Taisiya Povaliy were stripped of the honorary title of People's Artist of Ukraine, while singers Karolina Kuek (Ani Lorak) and Taisiya Povaliy were also stripped of the title of Honored Artist of Ukraine.
Addendum
The day before, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine supported draft law No. 11410, which was initiated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This draft law provides for the deprivation of state awards of Ukraine to persons who have been convicted of grave or especially grave crimes, criminal offenses against the foundations of national security of Ukraine, against peace, human security and international law and order, certain crimes against public safety; those who promote the aggressor state or justify the occupation of Ukraine.