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Ukraine has added several Cypriot individuals and companies to its sanctions list, including prominent lawyer Andreas Sofocleous and employees from his law firm, Andreas M. Sofocleous & Co LLC, which operates both in Cyprus and Ukraine. The move came as part of a new wave of sanctions introduced by Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, formalized by Presidential Decree 698 on October 8, according to a report by Interfax Ukraine.
The sanctions target Sofocleous, along with associates from his firm, including Chrysostomos, Harula, and Christina Sofokleous, among others. These individuals are reportedly linked to several Ukrainian companies, and Sofocleous himself has been involved in high-profile ownership disputes, including over the football club Dynamo Kyiv and Ukrainian media outlets in the past.
Sofocleous also managed trusts tied to Smart Holding founder Vladimir Nowinski, who transferred assets to these trusts in late 2022. However, Ukraine's Ministry of Justice later removed these trusts from the register, alleging that Nowinski was attempting to evade sanctions.
In addition to individuals, several Cypriot firms tied to the Sofocleous Group, including Proteas Management Services Ltd and its subsidiaries, have also been sanctioned.
These sanctions are part of Ukraine's broader efforts to target individuals and entities that it believes are involved in efforts to undermine the country’s security and sovereignty, particularly in relation to the ongoing conflict with Russia.
