UK imposes new sanctions against Russia on Ukraine war third anniversary News
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UK imposes new sanctions against Russia on Ukraine war third anniversary

The UK released an updated list of sanctions against Russia, including measures banning entry into the UK for individuals who provide significant support to the Russian state or owe their wealth to the Russian state, following the third anniversary of the Ukraine war on Monday.

The Russian individuals targeted by the sanctions package are primarily business figures, oligarchs, and executives with strong ties to the Russian economy and, in many cases, to the Kremlin. These include Russian government officials and key figures in strategic industries like coal mining, oil production, defence, aviation, and media. The sanctions further encompass a wide range of organisations, including Russian state-owned enterprises involved in defence, international suppliers providing dual-use goods, and financial institutions supporting Russian operations. The UK has also targeted oil tankers facilitating the transport of Russian oil, aiming to curb Russia’s energy revenue streams.

Notably, entities from countries such as China, Germany, India, Kyrgyzstan, Thailand, Turkey and Uzbekistan are also targets of the sanctions as the UK considers them as having been implicated in supplying critical materials and technologies to Russia’s defense sector. Additionally, several North Korean officials have been sanctioned for their roles in supporting Russian military actions against Ukraine.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that the sanctions are the largest package since the early days of the war to “keep dialling up the economic pressure to get Putin to a point where he is ready not just to talk, but to make concessions.”

The sanctions come at a strategic point in time, showing Starmer’s support for Ukraine ahead of meeting with US President Donald Trump. Relatedly on the same day, the US voted against Ukraine on a UN General Assembly resolution to condemn Russia for its military actions. US Ambassador Dorothy Shea said the US cannot support the resolution put forward by Ukraine because it departs from the UN’s primary principle–maintaining international peace and security through the peaceful settlement of disputes. The US submitted an alternative draft “urging a lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia.”

The UK and France have been influential in assisting Ukraine since 2022. NATO, the EU, the US, Canada, Australia, and Japan have also played crucial roles in assisting Ukraine through their humanitarian aid, financial contributions, and sanctions. Trump’s new vitriol towards Zelinsky risks the significant assistance and funding Ukraine has thus far received from the US.

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