DHAKA: The European Union on Thursday froze the assets of ousted Ukraine leader Viktor Yanukovych, ex-premier Mykola Azarov and 16 former ministers, businessmen and security chiefs, all on grounds of fraud.

All 18 listed in the EU’s Official Journal were targeted as people ‘subject to criminal proceedings in Ukraine to investigate crimes in connection with the embezzlement of Ukrainian state funds and their illegal transfer outside Ukraine’.

Among them were two of Yanukovych’s sons, businessman Oleksandr, a dentist who used his father’s power to build a fortune estimated at $500 million, and parliamentarian Viktor junior, as well as Azarov’s son Oleksii.

Former ministers of internal affairs, education and health were also on the list along with one-time justice minister Olena Lukash.

The deposed president’s former chief of staff Andrii Kliuiev as well as his brother Serhii were targeted, as was former security services chief and businessman Sergey Kurchenko.

The sanctions, which will apply for an initial 12 months, aim to enable Ukraine’s new authorities to recover the frozen funds.

BDST: 2012 HRS, MAR 06, 2014