On Monday, January 11, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took additional action against seven individuals and four entities associated with a Russia-linked foreign influence network and MP Andrii Derkach. Classified as a Russian agent, Derkach was designated on September 10, 2020, pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13848, for his attempt to interfere in the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as was announced by US Treasury.
“Former Ukrainian Government officials Konstantin Kulyk, Oleksandr Onyshchenko, Andriy Telizhenko, and current Ukraine Member of Parliament Oleksandr Dubinsky have publicly appeared or affiliated themselves with Derkach through the coordinated dissemination and promotion of fraudulent and unsubstantiated allegations involving a U.S. political candidate. They have made repeated public statements to advance disinformation narratives that U.S. government officials have engaged in corrupt dealings in Ukraine. All of them are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13848 for having directly or indirectly engaged in, sponsored, concealed, or otherwise been complicit in foreign influence in the United States election,” the statement read.
In addition, America sanctioned NabuLeaks and Era-Media TOV, media companies in Ukraine that push false narratives at Derkach’s behest.
US Treasury has also sanctioned several of Derkach's aides. Petro Zhuravel was a key member of Derkach’s media team, acting as a media manager, website administrator and provides technological support. Dmytro Kovalchuk provided profiles on U.S. political figures, and Anton Simonenko served as Derkach’s assistant for nearly a decade.
According to the US Treasury, Zhuravel, Kovalchuk, and Simonenko are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13848 for having materially assisted, sponsored or provided financial, material or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Derkach. Owned or controlled by Zhuravel, Only News and Skeptik TOV are also being designated pursuant to E.O. 13848.
“Russian disinformation campaigns targeting American citizens are a threat to our democracy,” Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said. “The United States will continue to aggressively defend the integrity of our election systems and processes.”
Derkach had already been sanctioned for the spread of misleading and unsubstantiated allegations about current and former U.S. officials being engaged in corruption, money laundering, and unlawful political influence in Ukraine. In particular, he disclosed call recordings between people whose voices are similar to former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, US Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry.
As a result of today’s designations, all property and interests in property of these targets that are subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. Additionally, any entities 50 per cent or more owned by one or more designated persons are also blocked. Among the media entities, the following companies have also been sanctioned: Era-Media LLC, Only News news agency, Nabuleaks, and Skeptic LLC.