Yanukovych loses court case, EU rules to keep sanctions and travel ban against Ukraine's former president in place
Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has lost his court case in which he attempted to overturn European Union sanctions, Politico reported on Sept. 10.
The EU’s General Court dismissed his lawsuit, ruling that the bloc had sufficient grounds to impose restrictions on him, including a travel ban and asset freeze.
In its 18-page judgment, the court stated that Yanukovych’s actions as president “clearly contributed to the destabilization” of Ukraine and that the EU was justified in keeping him on the sanctions list.
The judges also noted his failure “to distance himself effectively from the Russian authorities” and cited his “involvement in a plan” to oust President Volodymyr Zelensky in March 2022.
Yanukovych, who fled to Russia after being ousted during the EuroMaidan protests in 2014, had argued that the sanctions were imposed without evidence and while no criminal case was open against him in Ukraine.
The court rejected this claim, referencing his 2014 appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin to send Russian troops into Ukraine, his support for pro-Russian officials in occupied Crimea, and his efforts to weaken Ukraine’s defense capabilities from 2012 to 2014.
His son, Oleksandr Yanukovych, also lost a parallel appeal to have EU sanctions lifted, which were imposed over his extensive business dealings in Russian-occupied Donbas.
Yanukovych’s presidency, from 2010 to 2014, was marked by corruption, closer alignment with Moscow, and violent crackdowns on pro-democracy protesters.
After more than 100 people were killed during the Euromaidan demonstrations, he fled to Russia, where he has remained in exile.
