Ukraine's Zelensky imposes sanctions on Syria's Assad, other officials

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a decree on Saturday imposing sanctions on 300 individuals, including the Syrian regime leader Bashar Al-Assad.

Sanctions were also imposed against Syrian Prime Minister Hussein Arnous and the country's Foreign Minister Faisal Miqdad. A number of Russian citizens were sanctioned as well.

The document, uploaded on the presidential website highlighted that Assad was subject to the blocking of assets and a number of other measures.

Some 114 entities were also blacklisted - including Russian research and production and shipbuilding enterprises and aviation industry companies, including the Kalashnikov and Almaz-Antey concerns, and Ural plant. Several Iranian firms were also sanctioned.

Ukraine cut diplomatic ties with Syria in June last year after Damascus recognised the Russian-occupied areas of eastern Ukraine as independent states.

The sanctions included the freezing of assets, restrictions on trade and transit of resources, a ban on participation in privatisation in Ukraine, the suspension of economic and financial obligations, and revocation of Ukrainian state awards.

On March 10, Zelensky imposed sanctions against 120 individuals - mainly Russian citizens - and 287 legal entities, including those related to gambling.