Poroshenko believes Zhevago is under sanctions because his family owns Espreso TV channel

Poroshenko said this in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda.

“They don’t care about Medvedchuk, they don’t care about Kolomoiskyi, they don’t care about Boholiubov, and they definitely don’t care about Zhevago. Zhevago was included on the list only because he is the owner of the Espreso TV channel (Konstiantyn Zhevago is not the owner; his family owns the Espreso TV channel — ed.),” Poroshenko said. “Boholiubov isn’t here, Kolomoiskyi is in prison, they extradited Medvedchuk themselves, and sanctions against him were already imposed. The main goal is to be able to say that all these names are on the same list.”

He added that sanctions are a political tool and reminded that this is the third time sanctions have been imposed on Medvedchuk.

“This is insane! What is their goal if, in 2021-2023, sanctions were already imposed on him, his citizenship was revoked, and now he is once again a 'citizen of Ukraine' in the National Security and Defense Council's decision on sanctions?” Poroshenko said.

Poroshenko believes that the imposition of these personal sanctions “is nothing more than a political struggle,” and that Zelenskyy overstepped his authority by enacting them, for which he will have to answer.

Who are the people sanctioned by Zelenskyy: background

On February 12, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy enacted a decision of the National Security and Defense Council to impose sanctions on several people. According to the register of sanctions actions, the following people were subject to restrictions: Ukraine's fifth president Petro Poroshenko, businessman Kostiantyn Zhevago, co-founders and former shareholders of Privatbank Hennadiy Boholiubov and Ihor Kolomoiskyi, and former MP Viktor Medvedchuk. Later, the Office of the Prosecutor General reported that it was providing procedural guidance in a number of criminal proceedings against businessmen and high-ranking officials who had been subjected to personal sanctions by the National Security and Defense Council.

In his video address, Kostiantyn Zhevago called the sanctions imposed on him "absolutely illegal," emphasized that they have no legal basis, and noted that this is "another episode of political persecution by President Zelenskyy."

Zhevago emphasized that there is no court decision against him that would confirm a threat to the national security, territorial integrity or sovereignty of Ukraine. 

According to his press service, Zhevago actively supports the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Through the Zhevago Family Charitable Foundation and the companies where he and his family are shareholders, the needs of Ukrainian defenders have already been funded to the tune of billions of hryvnias.

“Judging by the sanctions decision, my support for the Ukrainian Armed Forces is recognized as a threat to national security. I have been banned from defense procurement, which actually means a ban on supplying aid to our military. The Zhevago Family Foundation has repeatedly received gratitude from military units, including the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine in early 2025,” said Kostiantyn Zhevago.