An asset freeze, a lockout of all business activity and an investment ban are among the economic sanctions Ukraine is imposing on the owner of Greek football club PAOK, Ivan Savvidis, and another 2,500 Russian businessmen and bankers considered close to Vladimir Putin.
The Ukrainian media are talking about President Volodymyr Zelenky's decision to implement the National Security and Defence Council's recommendation for sanctions against the Russian president's inner circle.
The news was also relayed by international media, which added that the decision on sanctions concerns 2,507 natural persons and 1,374 legal entities.
They also focus on the fact that according to the signed decrees, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs was asked to inform the competent authorities of the EU, the US and other countries about the implementation of sanctions and to introduce similar measures against those in the Ukrainian list.
It is noted that among the names of businessmen and bankers, in addition to that of Ivan Savvidis, are Roman Abramovich, Alisher Usmanov, Vladimir Potanin, and Katerina Tikhonova, Putin's second daughter. There are also politicians, public figures, military personnel and Russian legal entities.
The sanctions will be imposed on Savvidis for a period of ten years.
In particular, in the official document on the extension of sanctions, a decision that comes into force with the decree of the President of Ukraine dated October 19, 2022 No. 727/2022 regarding Ivan Savvidis, it is stated:
"Ivan Ignatyevich Savvidi (Savvidy Ivan Ignatievich, Savvidi Ivan), born on March 27, 1959, a citizen of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Greece, information according to the Unified State Register of Taxpayers of the Russian Federation.
The following are the restrictive measures imposed on him for 10 years:
1) freezing of assets – temporary deprivation of the right to use and dispose of assets belonging to a natural or legal person, as well as assets in relation to which such a person can directly or indirectly (through other natural or legal persons) to take actions identical in content to the exercise of their right of disposal.
2) limitation of commercial operations (complete termination).
3) restriction, partial or complete cessation of transit of resources, flights and transportation through the territory of Ukraine (complete cessation);
4) prevention of withdrawal of funds outside Ukraine.
5) suspension of economic and financial obligations.
6) cancellation or suspension of permits of which is a condition for the exercise of a specific type of activity, in particular the cancellation or suspension of special permits for subsoil use.
7) prohibition of participation in privatisations, leasing of state property by residents of a foreign state and persons directly or indirectly controlled by residents of a foreign state or acting in their interest.
8) prohibition or restriction of entry of foreign civilian ships and warships into the territorial waters of Ukraine, internal waters, its ports and aircraft in the airspace of Ukraine or landing on the territory of Ukraine (complete prohibition);
9) prohibition of issuing permits and of licenses of the National Bank of Ukraine for investments in a foreign country, placement of currency values in accounts and deposits in the territory of a foreign country.
10) suspension of issuance of permits for import into Ukraine from a foreign country or export of currency values from Ukraine and restriction of cash withdrawals for payment cards issued by residents of a foreign country.
11) prohibition of transfer of technologies, rights to objects of intellectual property rights.
12) deprivation of state awards of Ukraine, other forms of recognition.
13) prohibition of acquiring land ownership."
Ivan Ignatyevich Savvidi, also known as Ivan Savvidis, is a Russian-Greek oligarch and politician. Savvidis is one of Russia's wealthiest men and was a member of the Russian Parliament, closely linked to the President Vladimir Putin.
Savvidis was born in Santa Gruzino, Tsalka District, Georgia, to Pontic Greek immigrant parents from Sanda (Σάντα, Turkish: Dumanlı) in today's Turkey.
He and his wife Kyriaki Savvidi are the majority shareholders of Donskoy Tabak, the largest Russian tobacco company. As of 10 August 2012, he had acquired ownership of the Greek football team PAOK
