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President Volodymyr Zelensky in Berlin, Germany, on April 14, 2026.
Politics

Concerns mount as Zelensky turns sanctions into tool for punishing critics, former allies

by Oleg Sukhov

When President Volodymyr Zelensky slapped sanctions on ex-lawmaker Boryslav Bereza on July 7, many were left wondering what, if anything, linked him to Russia or posed a threat to Ukraine's national security. Bereza has never publicly expressed any sympathies for Russia and has been a pro-Western politician and blogger throughout his entire career. Sanctions, which were introduced by Ukraine when Russia started its war in 2014, were initially intended as a tool for fighting Moscow and its prox

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