Zelenskyy announces international sanctions and personnel changes following Putin's latest threats

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced a number of decisions in response to recent remarks by Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, in which he laid claim to the entire territory of Ukraine. The response includes personnel changes in the diplomatic corps and adjustments to institutional management.

Source: Zelenskyy in an address on 21 June 

Details: Zelenskyy mentioned the signals that the Russian leader conveyed on 20 June.

"Was it bravado or simply insanity – you can explain it as you like," the Ukrainian president said. "But when the killer says he wants to kill, we take it seriously. And we will react together with our partners. All our partners, I hope."

Zelenskyy says Ukraine, for its part, has made a number of new decisions, "given the frankness of the Russian killers who announce they are not going to stop".

Quote: "First: there will be new international measures for the sake of achieving tangible international sanctions against Russia. We know every target for international sanctions. I gave instructions on working separately with the global corporate sector, especially regarding those who preserve the ties of Russian energy and the defence industry with the world.

We are also intensifying all sanctions-related efforts within Ukraine – internal measures to ensure that anyone who continues to assist Russia, cooperate with it in any form, or maintain businesses in occupied territory understands this is unequivocally criminal activity. Justice must be enforced, including through domestic decisions.

Second, we will direct more resources to our drones of all types, from deep strikes to specific protection against Russian forces at the front.

Thirdly, we will make certain personnel changes, particularly within the Ukrainian diplomatic corps and institutional management, in order to increase Ukrainian potential both in relations with partners and the potential of internal Ukrainian stability. As for the diplomatic corps, we will draw conclusions on this transformation in a month, including in the format of a meeting with all Ukrainian ambassadors."

Details: Zelenskyy stressed that "now is a month of special measures for the sake of new pressure on Russia".

"The details of today's instructions to the head of the Security Service of Ukraine are non-public," the president said. "Separately, there will be decisions by the National Security and Defence Council, which are already being prepared. And in fact, on a daily basis, we will provide information about what Ukrainian diplomats are doing to achieve our Ukrainian goals." 

Commenting on Putin's remarks, he stressed that on 20 June, the Kremlin leader "put on a one-man show, particularly aimed at the United States".

Quote from Zelenskyy: "He spoke quite frankly. Yes, he wants the whole of Ukraine, and he has been wanting it not for the past four years, not since 2014, but for a long time – he himself was formed by Russian imperialism. And when he talks about Ukraine and something else about Russian soldiers setting foot, he also talks about Belarus, about the Baltic countries, about Moldova and about the Caucasus, as well as countries like Kazakhstan, and about all the places on earth where Russian killers can reach. Putin’s power ends where the capabilities of Russian killers end." 

Background: On 20 June, Russian leader Vladimir Putin claimed yet again that Russians and Ukrainians are "one and the same people" while asserting that "wherever a Russian soldier sets foot, that belongs to us".

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