REUTERS

Most Ukrainians support the sanctions imposed against MP from the Opposition Platform - For Life Party Viktor Medvedchuk and his wife Oksana Marchenko.

That's according to a survey conducted by the Rating Sociological Group on February 22-23, as reported on the agency's website on February 24.

As many as 75% of the respondents said they are aware of the decision of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine to impose sanctions on Medvedchuk and his wife. Of these, 40% are "very well informed" about this, 35% have heard at least something, while 25% of the pollees said they heard about it for the first time.

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Read alsoSBU says sanctions slapped on Sportmaster over operations in CrimeaA total of 58% of the respondents support the NSDC decision, while 28% do not support it. Among those who are well aware of this decision, 73% declared their support, while 23% oppose it.

Sociologists say, 52% of Ukrainians believe the decision to impose sanctions against Medvedchuk was caused by his pro-Russian efforts. Another 30% believe this was part of a showdown between oligarchs, 16% argue this was an attempt to get the pipeline back to state ownership, 13% say it was done at the behest of the United States, and 10% consider the move pressure on the opposition.

Mechanics of the poll

The poll was conducted through computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) using a random selection of cell numbers.

The sample is representative of the adult population (aged 18 and older).

Some 2,500 respondents were polled in all regions of Ukraine except Crimea and other Russia-occupied parts of Ukraine, namely certain districts in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

The margin of error does not exceed 2.0%.

Sanctions on Viktor Medvedchuk

On February 19, 2021, the NSDC made a decision to impose sanctions against 19 legal entities and eight individuals. In particular, sanctions shall be applied to Viktor Medvedchuk and his wife Oksana Marchenko. Sanctions are imposed on all their property and assets.

According to NSDC secretary Oleksiy Danilov, the SBU is investigating a case under the article "financing of terrorism," and the latest sanctions were applied to Medvedchuk, Marchenko, and other persons precisely in connection with the said probe.

The NSDC also made a decision to nationalize part of the Samara - Western Direction fuel pipeline, now owned by Prykarpatzapadtrans.