The NSDC of Ukraine adopted the Strategy for the Development of the Defense-Industrial Complex of Ukraine and decided to impose personal sanctions on certain individuals and legal entities
The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine at a meeting on Friday chaired by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy adopted the Strategy for the Development of the Defense-Industrial Complex of Ukraine.
Secretary of the NSDC of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov announced this at a briefing after the meeting.
According to him, the Strategy outlines the main directions and tasks of the state military-industrial policy and is the basis for preparing state programs related to Ukraine’s defense industry.
The Strategy, in particular, sets out such important areas of state military-industrial policy as improving the system of standardization, unification, and product quality management by NATO standards.
The Strategy also provides for the establishment of the Defense Technology Agency to implement innovative projects and develop critical technologies in accordance with world best practices.
The second issue of Ukraine’s military-technical cooperation with particular states was considered secretly, the NSDC Secretary reported.
Mr. Danilov also said the application of personal special economic and other restrictive measures (sanctions) was also considered at the meeting.
First, personal sanctions against some individuals and legal entities, which were introduced by the NSDC decision of June 21, 2018, and enacted by the Decree of the President of Ukraine № 176, were extended.
“Given that these sanctions expire on June 21 this year, at the suggestion of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the National Bank of Ukraine and the Security Service of Ukraine, it was decided to extend restrictive measures against these individuals and legal entities”, - the NSDC Secretary said.
Second, according to the recommendation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine submitted to the NSDC the issue of applying personal sanctions to persons in the status of “thief in law”, as well as criminal authorities – leaders of organized criminal groups.
“The NSDC has decided to apply personal sanctions to 12 people who are in the status of increased criminal influence”, - Mr. Danilov stressed.
Moreover, he said, due to a significant number of complaints that three people were included in these sanctions lists “not very correctly”, the NSDC Staff with the assistance of the SSU and other competent authorities will conduct additional inspections.
Third, sanctions against 4 legal entities and 6 individuals affiliated with Russia’s special services were imposed by the NSDC decision.
“These legal entities and individuals are involved in developing the components of the NotPetya virus, which carried out its administration and modernization and organized cyberattacks on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, - Mr. Danilov said. - Cybercriminals were identified by specialists of the National Coordination Center for Cybersecurity at the NSDC of Ukraine”.
It was also found that these cybercriminals are included in the U.S. sanctions list and are accused by U.S. law enforcement agencies in criminal proceedings for involvement in the cyberattack against the United States, he added.
In addition, the NSDC Secretary announced that a “full package of sanctions” had been imposed, in particular, against Russian businessman Pavel Fuks, as well as against Ukrainian businessman Dmytro Firtash.
A report by the Head of the State Service of Geology and Subsoil of Ukraine on the implementation of the NSDC decision of March 19, 2021 “On the state of affairs in the sphere of subsoil use” (enacted by the Decree of the President of Ukraine of March 25, 2021, № 122) was also heard at the meeting.
“I want to notice that we have the first positive results of the implementation of the NSDC decision, and not through Mr. Opimakh’s agency, but on the part of the representatives of big business, whom we do not call oligarchs”, - the NSDC Secretary said adding that “for the first time in all 30 years of Independence, an event has occurred that we hope will become a precedent”.
“Realizing the importance of implementing the political line of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to restore order in the sphere of subsoil use and demonstrating social responsibility, two licenses for natural gas production and crude oil production were voluntarily returned to the state. These are the companies LLC “GEO ALLIANCE TARANUSHYNSKE” (Kharkiv region) and LLC “GEO ALLIANCE SOUTH-ORIL” (Dnipropetrovsk region)”, - Mr. Danilov explained.
“Although the founders of these companies are based in the well-known islands, the state welcomes such initiatives of “Ukrainian Cypriots” and encourages other representatives of big business to follow this example and be responsible subsoil users”, - he added.
Also, to protect the economic interests of the state, the previously issued licenses of unscrupulous subsoil users were revoked by the NSDC decision, in particular:
- 4 licenses for titanium mining;
- 3 - for mining and extraction of hydrocarbons;
- 2 licenses for mining of ore deposits.
“As President Volodymyr Zelenskyy promised, the authorities are beginning to restore order in the sphere of subsoil use and issuance of licenses”, - the NSDC Secretary summarized.