- Programme
- Situation in Ukraine
- Designated
- Not published by this authority
- Legal basis
- Ordinance of 4 March 2022 on measures related to the situation in Ukraine (RS 946.231.176.72), Art. 15 para. 1 and 4 (Financial sanctions) and art. 29 para. 1 (Travel ban), annexe 8
- Stated grounds
- Yan Petrovskiy is the leader and commander of the Russian paramilitary group “Task Force ‘Rusich’”, which maintains links to Russian private military company Wagner Group, possibly operating as a sub-unit of Wagner. Task Force “Rusich” is participating in combat alongside Russia’s military in the war of aggression against Ukraine. “Rusich” has a long history of fighting alongside Russia-backed proxies in the Donbas region of Ukraine. In 2015, “Rusich” mercenaries were accused of, and were filmed, committing atrocities against deceased and captured Ukrainian soldiers. In March 2025, the Helsinki District Court in Finland sentenced Petrovskiy to life in prison for leading an attack on Ukraine’s eastern frontier in 2014 in which 21 Ukrainian troops were killed and atrocities against deceased and captured Ukrainian soldiers were committed. In his capacity as leader and commander of Task Force “Rusich”, Yan Petrovskiy is responsible for, supporting or implementing actions or policies which undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, or stability or security in Ukraine, or which obstruct the work of international organisations in Ukraine.
- Source
- Switzerland SECO Sanctions List
- Last confirmed
- 19 Oct 2026