Ukraine has announced sanctions on former president Petro Poroshenko and four other oligarchs and political figures accused of undermining national security, including a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Ukrainian former President Petro Poroshenko, who is suspected of high treason by financing pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine while in office in 2014-2015, addresses his supporters outside a court building before a hearing in Kyiv,

Ukraine imposed sanctions on former president and opposition politician Petro Poroshenko, including an asset freeze and a ban on withdrawing capital from the country, for what the domestic spy agency said on Thursday were “national security” reasons.