UK Strikes At Heart Of Putin's War Machine

The UK has today announced a wave of new sanctions against Russia’s military industrial complex, further restricting the supply of vital military equipment Putin desperately needs for his illegal war in Ukraine.  

New targets include suppliers supporting Russia’s military production, Russian-backed mercenary groups operating in Sub-Saharan Africa and a GRU agent involved in the use of a Novichok nerve agent in Salisbury.

These sanctions will directly target the supply of goods to Russia’s military and constrain vital resources crucial to conduct Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine.

Today’s action targets entities based in China, Turkey and Central Asia involved in the supply and production of goods including machine tools, microelectronics and components for drones, all of which Russia needs to support its illegal invasion of Ukraine.

This announcement comes ahead of the European Political Community Summit in Budapest today, where the Prime Minister Keir Starmer will discuss efforts to combat Russian malign activity across Europe and reaffirm the UK’s unwavering support for Ukraine.

The Kremlin’s deliberate campaign to undermine and threaten European security and democracy and expand its sphere of influence is clear to see. Earlier this week, its attempts to interfere in Moldova’s democratic elections failed, but this is the latest development in a deliberate campaign by Russia to spread disinformation, incite violence and deter support for Ukraine.

This latest package also targets 3 private mercenary groups with links to the Kremlin, including Africa Corps, and 11 individuals associated with Russian proxies. These targets have direct links to the Kremlin, have threatened peace and security in Libya, Mali and the Central African Republic, and have committed widespread human rights abuses across the continent.

These sanctions will bear down on Russian malign activity in Libya, Mali, and CAR, exposing and combatting Russia’s illicit activity in Africa, as it attempts to exploit the fragile security environments and natural resources in these countries for its gain and expand the Kremlin’s sphere of influence.

Foreign Secretary, David Lammy said:
"Today’s measures will continue to push back on the Kremlin’s corrosive foreign policy, undermining Russia’s attempts to foster instability across Africa and disrupting the supply of vital equipment for Putin’s war machine. And smashing the illicit international networks that Russia has worked so hard to forge.

"Putin is nearly 1000 days into a war he thought would only take a few. He will fail and I will continue to bear down on the Kremlin and support the Ukrainian people in their fight for freedom."

Today’s sanctions further build on the UK’s mission to combat Russian malign activity globally. Over the last month the UK has directly targeted Russia’s illicit shadow fleet, condemned the abhorrent use of banned chemical weapons in Ukraine, cracked down on malicious Russian cyber gangs and sanctioned the Kremlin’s mouthpieces who recklessly spread Putin’s lies across the world.