In a bold move to defend Ukraine’s sovereignty and resources, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed two new decrees targeting individuals and companies accused of looting grain, minerals, and cultural heritage from occupied territories. A total of 62 people and legal entities are now facing sanctions for their alleged roles in exploiting Ukraine’s assets during the ongoing war.
Ukraine Targets Looters of Grain, Minerals, and Cultural Treasures
The first of the two decrees, No. 579/2025, focuses on what authorities have called the “Asset Thieves from TOT” (temporarily occupied territories). This package of sanctions is aimed at individuals and businesses involved in the illegal export of grain, as well as the mining and enrichment of minerals in regions under Russian control.
Among those sanctioned is Captain Vyacheslav Vidanov, who reportedly transported more than 35,000 tons of Ukrainian wheat from Sevastopol to Yemen. Authorities say this shipment was part of a broader effort by Russia to profit from Ukrainian agricultural products taken without consent.
Also listed is Dnipro-Rudne Iron Ore Combine, a company established using stolen Ukrainian assets in the Zaporizhzhia region. Officials say the firm is currently developing Ukrainian iron ore deposits illegally and profiting from resources that belong to the Ukrainian people.
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This sanctions package also targets captains of Russia’s so-called “shadow grain fleet” — ships used to smuggle Ukrainian grain abroad under Russian control. Ukrainian officials are treating this as organized economic theft on an international scale.
Russian Museum Heads Accused of Cultural Appropriation
The second decree, No. 580/2025, shifts focus to a different area of concern: cultural theft. This package targets 15 Russian museum officials who are accused of illegally appropriating Ukrainian artifacts and displaying them as part of Russian exhibitions.
For example, Yulia Kupina, director of the Russian Ethnographic Museum, opened an exhibition called “Multinational Russia” in the occupied city of Berdiansk. Ukrainian officials say that this exhibition featured museum pieces stolen from Ukrainian institutions, presented without permission and in a way that distorts historical truth.
Also sanctioned are Artem Silkin and Halyna Alekseeva, two museum leaders who are currently campaigning for high-ranking roles in the International Council of Museums (ICOM). Ukraine has voiced serious concerns about their possible appointment, stating that anyone involved in the looting of cultural heritage should not hold global leadership roles in the museum community.
This decree aims to call out and punish those attempting to erase Ukrainian identity by folding its cultural treasures into Russian narratives.
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Sanctions Meant to Stop Illegal Activities and Send a Clear Message
The sanctions outlined in both decrees include asset freezes, business bans, and travel restrictions. These legal measures were put into place following a decision by Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council.
According to Vladyslav Vlasiuk, the President’s Commissioner for Sanctions Policy, these sanctions are designed to stop the exploitation of Ukrainian territory and culture. He explained that the sanctioned individuals and entities were directly involved in moving stolen resources or displaying looted museum items in support of Russian propaganda.
As of late July, Ukraine has reported that more than 1,528 cultural heritage sites and 2,359 cultural infrastructure objects have been damaged or destroyed during the war. Many of these losses have occurred in territories currently occupied by Russian forces.
In these regions, Russian authorities have reportedly forced schoolchildren to attend events that promote the idea of Russia as the “cradle of Slavic civilization,” furthering efforts to rewrite history and influence young minds.
With these new sanctions, Ukraine is sending a powerful message: those who steal its resources, history, and culture will be held accountable under both national and international law.