As one of the consequences of the invasion of Ukraine ordered by Russian president Vladimir Putin, Nikita Mazepin lost his seat in the Formula 1 American team Haas. This happened after his father’s company, Uralkali, was stripped of its title sponsorship.

These actions are just a couple among all sanctions to Russian businesses, individuals, and athletes, as organisations, countries and even sports federations make moves to prove they’re opposed to Putin’s war.

It is known that Dmitry Mazepin is one of Russia’s wealthiest businessmen, and it was made known that he had a business meeting with Putin earlier this year and was also called by the Russian president to the Moscow Kremlin alongside 36 others on the day of the invasion of Ukraine.

According to the European Union’s official journal, Nikita and Dmitry Mazepin are among 14 people “supporting and benefitting from the Government of the Russian Federation or providing a substantial source of revenue to it or associated with listed persons or entities” that were added to the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies getting hit with “restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine”.

People in this list might face travel restrictions and freezing of funds and economic resources. The journal also highlights that Nikita’s father is “involved in economic sectors providing a substantial source of revenue to the Government of the Russian Federation, which is responsible for the annexation of Crimea and the destabilisation of Ukraine”.

It notes that by being present in the meeting held by Vladimir Putin and other members of Russian government he proves he “is a member of the closest circle of Vladimir Putin and that he is supporting or implementing actions or policies which undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, as well as stability and security in Ukraine”.

"It also shows that he is one of the leading businesspersons involved in economic sectors providing a substantial source of revenue to the Government of Russia, which is responsible for the annexation of Crimea and destabilisation of Ukraine,” the journal continues.

Nikita Mazepin was initially listed as a Haas Formula 1 driver, but as his contract was terminated last Saturday, the journal notes that he is “associated with a leading businessperson [his father] involved in economic sectors providing a substantial source of revenue to the Government of the Russian Federation, which is responsible for the annexation of Crimea and the destabilisation of Ukraine.”

In a press conference held by Nikita Mazepin, he claimed he was given no advanced notice of Haas’s decision to terminate his contract and he heard about it at the same time as the press. During the conference he failed to answer questions about Putin and Russia’s war on Ukraine, the main reason he was kicked out of his seat.