On November 9, the US Department of Treasury imposed sanctions against Andrey Portnov:
PORTNOV, Andriy Volodymyrovych (Cyrillic: ПОРТНОВ, Андрій Володимирович) (a.k.a. PORTNOV, Andrij Volodymyrovych; a.k.a. PORTNOV, Andriy), Ukraine; DOB 27 Oct 1973; POB Luhansk, Ukraine; nationality Ukraine; Gender Male; Passport PU262444 (Ukraine); National ID No. CO168696 (Ukraine) (individual) [GLOMAG].
The official explanation of the US Treasury Department says that the former deputy head of the Presidential Administration under Yanukovych, Andrei Portnov, in 2019, that is, already under the new power of President Zelensky, established extensive ties with the judiciary and law enforcement apparatus through pressure and corruption.
In March 2014, the European Union froze Portnov’s assets, a criminal case was opened against him in Ukraine on charges of abuse of office, and in January 2015, Portnov was put on the wanted list. In March 2015, the EU lifted sanctions on Portnov, and in October of the same year, the ex-deputy head of the Presidential Administration won a case in an EU court in Luxembourg, and the European Union paid him 15,500 euros. In the same year, the Pechersk court ordered the investigators to exclude Portnov from the wanted list.
Solidaritätsnetz International regularly monitors that corruption and shadow influence negatively affected a person’s ability to defend their legal rights in court. We are grateful to the US government authorities for consistently combating unreasonable pressure on the justice system.
Solidaritätsnetz International has repeatedly appealed to American diplomats and politicians with a list of persons who, according to our observations, are hindering positive reforms in Ukraine. We are glad to be heard and welcome the US financial sanctions against Portnov, as well as call on Switzerland and the EU countries to join in such necessary measures.