Ukraine prepares sanctions against Belarus officials

Ukraine's government will propose on Wednesday to introduce personal sanctions against Belarusian officials involved in "falsifying" the results of the 2020 presidential election, a draft government resolution showed. In October, the European Union imposed sanctions on 40 Belarusian officials in response to the election.

Ukraine's government will propose on Wednesday to introduce personal sanctions against Belarusian officials involved in "falsifying" the results of the 2020 presidential election, a draft government resolution showed. Belarus faced a political crisis following an Aug. 9 election marred by vote-rigging allegations that led to mass demonstrations against leader Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power since 1994.

Last year, Ukraine froze contact with neighboring Belarus and joined the European Union in condemning the elections as not free or fair. Lukashenko denies electoral fraud. The draft resolution says personal economic sanctions against Minsk officials will be imposed for a three-year period but does not contain details of the restrictions or names of those affected.

The decision on sanctions was made by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's security and defense council and enacted by presidential decree. In October, the European Union imposed sanctions on 40 Belarusian officials in response to the election.