Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has put into force a decision by the National Security and Defense Council of February 2, 2021, on applying sanctions against MP Taras Kozak, who is believed to be an ally of Viktor Medvedchuk, and a number of TV channels Kozak owns, including 112 Ukraine, NewsOne and ZIK.

The sanctions have been introduced for a period of five years, according to the President's Office.

The decision comes at a moment when the pro-Russian party Opposition Block – For Life, led by Medvedchuk, has been gaining ground in support and recently topped a poll as the most-popular political party in Ukraine. The party is also urging to use the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, which the government has called ‘a hybrid weapon against Ukraine’. Recently, it was reported that the occupied parts of Donbas will start using the Russian vaccine while Ukraine is still waiting for its first deliveries, expected in less than two weeks.

The restrictive measures include the blocking of assets, restrictions on trade transactions, restriction, partial or full ban on transit of resources, flights, and shipments across Ukraine; ban on money withdrawal from Ukraine, suspension of the fulfillment of financial obligations; annulment or suspension of licenses and other permits; ban on transactions involving the sanctioned persons and entities' securities; and the ban on technology transfer and handing over ownership rights to intellectual property, Ukrayinska Pravda reports.

Earlier, back in 2019, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has already set up an interim investigation commission to probe malign Russian influence on the media space through a number of Ukrainian TV channels.

The channels had allegedly become tools in psyops aimed at undermining defense, demoralizing Ukrainian military, provoking extremism, feeding panic, aggravating and destabilizing the socio-political and socio-economic situation, inciting ethnic and religious conflicts in Ukraine, and otherwise threatening information security of Ukraine.

In July 2019, President Volodymyr Zelensky said monopolization of the television space in Ukraine by people with pro-Russian views is inadmissible.

"People like Mr Medvedchuk will not be allowed monopolizing our Ukrainian television," added Zelensky.

As UNIAN reported earlier, Taras Kozak, who is considered to be an ally of Viktor Medvedchuk, Vladimir Putin's major political operative in Ukraine, operates a bulk of media assets in Ukraine, including three national TV channels: 112 Ukraine, NewsOne, and ZIK TV.