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Zelenskyy Sanctions SHAMAN and Other Russian Celebrities Over Pro-War Propaganda

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Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko
Dariia Mykhailenko
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Zelenskyy Sanctions SHAMAN and Other Russian Celebrities Over Pro-War Propaganda
Russian singer SHAMAN. (Source: SHAMAN/ Official Instagram)

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed Decrees No. 246/2025 and No. 247/2025, enacting a decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) to impose new sanctions on individuals and entities complicit in Russia’s war of aggression.

Among the newly sanctioned are 20 Russian public figures—actors, athletes, and musicians—who have either voiced support for the war or maintained close ties with sanctioned entities. The list includes:

  • Irina Apeksimova – actress and director

  • Sofya Velikaya – fencer

  • Elena Vyalbe – Olympic champion in cross-country skiing

  • Vitaliy Gogunsky – actor (TV series Univer)

  • Nikita Dzhigurda – actor

  • Yaroslav Dronov – singer (SHAMAN)

  • Egor Konchalovsky – film director and screenwriter

  • Yuri Kuklachev – actor

  • Oskar Kuchera – actor

  • Denis Lebedev – boxer

  • Evgeny Mironov – theater actor

  • Nikita Nagorny – gymnast

  • Aleksandr Pankratov-Chyorny – actor and film directorSergei Polunin – ballet dancer

  • Ruslan Provodnikov – boxer

  • Nikolai Rastorguev – singer and former State Duma deputy

  • Aleksandr Rozenbaum – singer

  • Igor Sukachev – rock musician, actor, and director

  • Nikolai Tsiskaridze – ballet dancer

  • Roman Chumakov – rapper (Zhigan)

As part of the sanctions, the designated individuals will face a comprehensive set of restrictions. Their assets will be frozen, their ability to engage in trade, business, and financial operations will be severely limited, and they will be prohibited from acquiring property or land in Ukraine.

Additionally, all state honors and awards previously granted to them will be revoked, underscoring the state’s commitment to distancing itself from individuals who support or enable aggression against Ukraine.

Oversight for the implementation of these measures has been assigned to the Secretary of the NSDC, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will notify international partners, including the EU, US, and others, encouraging the adoption of parallel restrictions.

The decrees come into force immediately upon publication.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump has signed an extension of the national emergency and accompanying sanctions against the Russian Federation for an additional year. The measures, originally imposed under Executive Order 14024, target Russia’s destabilizing activities, including its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, cyberattacks, and efforts to undermine democratic institutions.

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