EU slaps sanctions on former Ukraine leader Yanukovych

The EU member states imposed sanctions Thursday on Ukraine's ousted pro-Russian former president Viktor Yanukovych and his son Oleksandr for their alleged role in threatening Ukraine's security.

In a statement, the European Council said the pair were added to an existing EU sanctions list set up "in response to the ongoing unjustified and unprovoked Russian military aggression against Ukraine".

Yanukovych was president of Ukraine between February 2010 and February 2014, when he was overthrown by a popular uprising against his government's turn away from the West and towards Moscow.