WARSAW, (Reuters) –Poland has imposed sanctions against 50 Russian oligarchs, companies and businesses, according to the interior minister. This is in response to increasing pressure on Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine.

List companies released by the interior ministry includes Gazprom, the giant of energy and chemicals, Akron and KTK Polska. Gazprom holds a minor stake in EuRoPol Gaz. This entity owns the Yamal section that transports Russian gas to Europe. This list also includes Mikhail Fridman a billionaire and co-founder of Alfa Bank, as well Oleg Deripaska an aluminium tycoon, and Eugene Kaspersky founder of Russian cybersecurity company Kaspersky.

This is the first list of sanctions… there are 50. “There are many oligarchs, and companies that do actual business (in Poland),” Mariusz Kaminski, Interior Minister, said at a press conference. This list is expected to be expanded.

For the named individuals, the sanctions will include asset freezes and an entry ban to Poland.

Poland supports tougher sanctions on Russia. In fact, it has repeatedly argued for more severe sanctions and previously stated that Poland would stop importing Russian coal in May as well as stop using Russian oil at the end of 2022.

Russia describes its actions in Ukraine as a “special operations” meant to dearm Ukraine and defend it against fascists. The West and Ukraine claim that this is a pretext to President Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked war on aggression.