UK Unveils Sweeping Sanctions on Russia and Its Global Backers
The UK government on Monday announced more than 100 new sanctions targeting individuals and entities supporting Russia's war against Ukraine.
Described as the largest sanctions package since the early days of the war, the measures aimed to disrupt " Russia's military machine, entities in third countries who support it and the fragile supply networks that it relies on," the British Foreign Office said in a statement.
London has imposed sanctions on 1,900 individuals and organizations linked to the Kremlin since February 2022. The latest sanctions expand that list to include arms producers and suppliers in Central Asia, Turkey, Thailand, India and China.
Among the newly sanctioned individuals is North Korea's Defense Minister No Kwang Chol, along with senior North Korean military officials accused of facilitating the deployment of more than 11,000 North Korean troops to the conflict.
"Today's action, the largest in almost three years, underscores the UK's commitment to Ukraine," British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said. "Every military supply line disrupted, every rouble blocked, and every enabler of Putin's aggression exposed is a step towards a just and lasting peace."
For the first time, the UK is also using new powers to sanction foreign financial institutions accused of supporting Russia's war effort. The measures include sanctions against Kyrgyzstan-based OJSC Keremet Bank.
The package also targets 14 "new" kleptocrats , including Roman Trotsenko, described as one of Russia's wealthiest men.
In addition, 40 vessels linked to Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" were sanctioned, bringing the total number of blacklisted ships to 133. Western officials say Russia uses a network of hundreds of vessels to circumvent sanctions on its oil exports.
The UK's announcement comes ahead of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's visit to Washington on Thursday, where he is expected to meet with US President Donald Trump. Starmer has positioned himself as a potential mediator between Washington and Europe as the West debates Ukraine's future security and territorial guarantees.
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