NextFin news, On Wednesday, September 10, 2025, the European Union Court in Luxembourg upheld sanctions against former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, his son Oleksandr Yanukovych, and Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich by rejecting their appeals to be removed from the EU sanctions lists.
The court's decision confirms the European Union's position that Yanukovych's actions as Ukraine's president contributed to the destabilization of the country, justifying his inclusion on the sanctions list. The ruling also noted Yanukovych's continued alignment with Russian authorities after 2014 and his role during the 2022 Russian military presence near Kyiv.
Oleksandr Yanukovych's appeal was similarly dismissed, maintaining sanctions imposed on him for conducting business in territories occupied by Russia. Roman Abramovich's appeal was also rejected, sustaining the EU's sanctions against him due to his alleged ties to the Kremlin.
The sanctions against Viktor Yanukovych were initially imposed in 2014 and renewed in 2022 following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Abramovich had previously lost a similar legal challenge against sanctions in the United Kingdom earlier this year.
Rickard Jozwiak, Europe editor for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, described the court's ruling as a significant victory for the EU's sanctions regime against Russia, emphasizing that the appeals by both Yanukovych and Abramovich were dismissed.
The European Union Court's decision was reported by Ukrainian Pravda and confirmed by multiple sources including Politico and European Pravda, highlighting the EU's continued enforcement of sanctions against individuals linked to Russian aggression and destabilization efforts in Ukraine.
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