President Volodymyr Zelensky signed four decrees enacting Ukrainian sanctions against former lawmaker Yuriy Ivanyushchenko and creators of the Russian animated cartoon Masha and the Bear.
The measures put into effect decisions approved by the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. They target dozens of individuals, commercial companies, and online distribution channels associated with Russian military aggression, propaganda, and sanctions evasion.
Under the four decrees, Ukraine imposed restrictions on 44 individuals and eight entities involving Russian officials and occupation figures, 28 Russian citizens and 36 companies in military equipment supply chains, and five enterprises of the Rusal metallurgy group alongside nine associated individuals.
Sanctions on Yuriy Ivanyushchenko
The President's Office stated that Ivanyushchenko is a suspect in a criminal case regarding the legalization of land plots valued at more than 160 million hryvnias.
Officials from the President's Office added that enterprises linked to Ivanyushchenko continue to operate in temporarily occupied Crimea. They stated that he maintains ties with Russian criminal and business figures and has repeatedly visited the Russian Federation since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
Ivanyushchenko is a former member of the Ukrainian parliament for the Party of Regions, known in criminal circles under the alias Yura Yenakiievskyi. The Party of Regions was the ruling political party in Ukraine before its power collapsed during the 2014 Revolution of Dignity.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, which investigated the criminal case against Ivanyushchenko, reported in March that it had requested Zelensky and the Security Service of Ukraine to impose sanctions on the former lawmaker. NABU Director Semen Kryvonos stated during a briefing in August that the agency received two refusals from the Security Service of Ukraine regarding those restrictions.
Ukrainian news outlet Ukrayinska Pravda reported a month prior to Kryvonos's briefing that Ivanyushchenko continues to live in Monaco. Monaco is a sovereign microstate located on the French Riviera that serves as a common residence for international elite figures.
Targeting Russian Children's Media
The newly enacted sanctions also target five Russian citizens and four companies, consisting of three Russian entities and one Cypriot firm, involved in producing and distributing the animated series Masha and the Bear.
The President's Office specified that the restrictions apply to Animaccord studio, the creator of the cartoon series, as well as its founder, general director, screenwriter, director, producer, co-author who pays taxes into the Russian state budget, and the copyright holder of the property.
According to the President's Office, the animated series spreads pro-Russian narratives disguised as children's content, posing a direct threat to Ukrainian national security. Presidential Sanctions Commissioner Vladyslav Vlasyuk noted that Ukraine must respond separately to Russian propaganda, particularly when it targets children and spreads through major international platforms.
An annex to the presidential decree restricts access within Ukraine to social media accounts linked to Masha and the Bear, specifically targeting official channels on YouTube and TikTok. In October 2025, the National Police of Ukraine formally confirmed the connection between Masha and the Bear and Russia.
Masha and the Bear is a globally recognized Russian animated franchise produced by Animaccord Animation Studio. The show features the comedic interactions of a young girl and a retired circus bear, attracting billions of views on streaming platforms worldwide.
Cracking Down on Military Suppliers
In addition to media figures and political suspects, the decrees impose restrictions on 28 Russian citizens and 36 companies operating in Russia and China.
The President's Office stated that these entities are included in supply chains delivering high-precision industrial equipment, tools, components, electronics, and raw materials to bypass international sanctions.
The President's Office added that the targeted entities manufacture and repair military and specialized equipment, conduct research into drone technology, and develop specialized equipment and software for Russian security forces.
The sanctions further cover five companies belonging to the Rusal group along with nine Russian individuals associated with them. The President's Office stated that these entities import alumina and produce aluminum for the Russian military-industrial complex.
Officials from the President's Office added that non-ferrous metallurgy enterprises obtain raw materials and supply products to manufacture military equipment, missile and artillery weaponry, and military aircraft while bypassing sanctions.
Rusal is one of the largest aluminum producers in the world, relying on imported raw alumina to feed smelters that manufacture lightweight metal used in aerospace and armaments.
Recent Ukrainian Sanctions Actions
The four decrees mark the latest in a series of economic measures introduced by Ukrainian authorities to restrict resources available to the Russian military effort.
On August 14, Kyiv imposed sanctions against individuals and legal entities involved in the illegal export of Ukrainian grain, as well as the cargo ships participating in those transportation operations.
The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine serves as the primary advisory state body on national security matters, with its decisions coming into legal force upon presidential signature.
