Written by Natalia Zenets and Pavel Pollyuk
KIEV (Reuters) – Ukraine’s Security and Defense Council on Friday imposed sanctions on a TV channel linked to Levin Murayev, a politician whom Britain is designating as a possible leader of a puppet government in the Kremlin in the event of a Russian invasion.
Washington said Friday that Russia is massing increasing numbers of troops near Ukraine and that the invasion could come at any time, including during this month’s Winter Olympics.
Murrayev, a former Ukrainian opposition lawmaker who has defended views that align with Russian narratives about Ukraine, called the British claim “stupid” while Russia called it disinformation.
Murrayev lost his seat in the 2019 parliamentary elections, but he still wields influence through his political party Nashi and Nash TV, which is officially owned by his father Volodymyr.
Murrayev apparently expected sanctions, and addressed his supporters at a protest in his hometown of Kharkiv during the Security Council meeting.
In a speech broadcast on Nash TV, he told supporters that the sanctions were adopted “without discussion and without evidence.” “…Let’s fight for the canal, for ourselves, for you, for our country.”
A spokeswoman for Murrayev did not immediately respond to a request for further comment.
Russia has denied planning any military attack against Ukraine, but has pressured the West for security guarantees, including a ban on Kiev’s entry into NATO.
Oleksiy Danilov, Secretary of the Security Council, did not specify the nature of the sanctions, including whether the Nash channel would be closed.
