Ukraine preparing new sanctions against Russian propagandists – Yermak

He made this statement in a video address to participants of the first international conference "Cooperation for Resilience," as reported by Ukrinform.

"We are preparing new sanctions and calling on our partners to support them. These sanctions target Russian artists, propagandists, publishing houses, and looters of cultural treasures — everyone who contributes to propaganda and the destruction of Ukrainian culture... Some believe that culture is beyond politics. But let’s be honest: when cultural figures openly support war, justify aggression, remain silent about crimes, do they still remain artists? No. They become propagandists," Yermak emphasized.

He stressed the urgency of imposing these sanctions, as they define the boundary between democracy and autocracy, truth and lies, good and evil.

"If they (Russians) are not stopped, they will burn everything. Today, we see another attempt to destroy Ukrainian heritage — 1,333 cultural heritage sites in Ukraine have been destroyed or damaged by Russian shelling, and over 35,000 artifacts have been looted from de-occupied regions alone. They are not just stealing paintings; they are stealing memory. They want our voices to disappear from the future," he stated.

Yermak stressed that Russian filmmakers, musicians, and writers are "soldiers of the regime and heralds of destruction," who, even without weapons in hand, legitimize and glorify war crimes.

"Sanctions are not just punishment; they send a message that anyone who collaborates with the aggressor, takes part in the information war, or helps plunder Ukrainian heritage will be held accountable," the Presidential Office chief stated.

If the Russians are not stopped, "The Executed Renaissance" will happen worldwide, Yermak warned.

For reference, The Executed Renaissance refers to the generation of Ukrainian intellectuals in the 1920s and 1930s in Soviet Ukraine, who made significant contributions to literature, philosophy, painting, music, theater, cinema, education, and science. Most of them were executed during Stalin’s Great Terror.

As previously reported, the first international conference on cultural issues, "Cooperation for Resilience," was held in Uzhhorod, with representatives from over 20 countries participating.