The UK Foreign Office has unveiled what it claims to be the most substantial set of sanctions imposed on Russia since 2022.
The new sanctions target 107 individuals and entities, aiming to disrupt the financial channels that bolster President Putin’s war efforts and sustain Russia’s kleptocratic regime.
The sanctions specifically target producers and suppliers involved in manufacturing machine tools, electronics, and dual-use goods for the Russian military.
These entities are located across several third countries, including Central Asian states, Turkey, Thailand, India, and notably, China—the largest provider of critical military goods to Russia.
Additionally, the sanctions extend to North Korean Defence Minister No Kwang Chol, along with other senior military officials implicated in deploying over 11,000 DPRK troops to assist Russia.
These forces are reportedly being used as expendable assets in combat, with over 4,000 DPRK casualties reported.
Among the Russian entities targeted are LLC Grant-Trade and its key figures, Marat Mustafaev and Dinara Mustafaeva, who are accused of channeling advanced European technology into Russia to aid its unauthorized military actions.
For the first time, the UK is also leveraging new legislative powers to impose sanctions on foreign financial institutions that support Russia’s military operations.
This includes the Kyrgyzstan-based OJSC Keremet Bank, which has been instrumental in facilitating Russia’s access to the international financial systems for its war efforts.
The measures also aim to squeeze Putin’s energy revenues—his primary financial lifeline for the ongoing conflict.
The sanctions now cover an additional 40 ‘shadow fleet’ vessels that have transported over $5 billion worth of Russian oil and oil products in just the past six months.
This action brings the total number of oil tankers sanctioned by the UK to 133, the highest count in Europe.
Furthermore, the UK has sanctioned 14 ‘New Kleptocrats,’ some of whom play pivotal roles in key sectors of the Russian economy. Notable among them is Roman Trotsenko, a major Russian billionaire with a net worth of £2.2 billion.
