UK announces new sanctions targeting Russian war leaders

The UK government has today (21 April 2022) announced 26 new sanctions, targeting Russian military leaders, and individuals and entities supporting the Russian military. The sanctions follow “intelligence which reveals intentional bombing of critical and civilian infrastructure in Mariupol”.

The sanctions will be introduced under either the “standard” process or the “fast-track” process, with the latter being used for individuals and entities being targeted “in alignment with global partners from the G7 and the EU”.

Individuals and entities sanctioned under the standard process include:

• Anzhelika Khan, wife of UK-sanctioned oligarch German Khan.
• Oleg Belozyorov, CEO and Board Chairman of Russian Railways, which plays a key role in transporting Russian military equipment.
• Ilya Kiva, expelled Ukrainian MP, who has supported Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
• Russian military leaders, including:
  • Lt Col Azatbek Omurbekov, the Commanding Officer of the unit that occupied Bucha, where there have been reports of war crimes.
  • Colonel General Andrey Serdyukov, Russian Commander Airborne Forces.
  • Maj Gen Valery Flyustikov, Russian Commander Special Operations Forces.
  • Col Gen Nikolay Bogdanovsky, First Deputy Chief of the General Staff.

Individuals and entities sanctioned under the fast track process include:

• Sergei Borisovich KOROLYOV, First Deputy Director of the Federal Security Service of Russia.
• GTLK, Russia’s largest leasing company, which operates in the transport industry. GTLK’s sole shareholder is the Russian Federation, represented by Russia’s Ministry of Transport.
• JSC ARZAMAS MACHINE-BUILDING PLANT, part of a Military Industrial Company which manufactures equipment including amphibious armoured personnel carriers.
• JSC Kalashnikov Concern, which develops and manufactures equipment for the Russian army, including personal rifles, missiles and vehicles.
• LLC MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPANY, supplies arms and military equipment to Russia.

The financial notice is available here: Notice_Russia_210422.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)

The government press release is available here: New sanctions targeting Putin’s war leaders - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The government also announced further trade sanctions against Russia, expanding the list of products subject to import bans and increasing tariffs by 35 percentage points on £130m worth of products from Russia and Belarus. The products subject to the trade sanctions include diamonds and rubber.

The government press release can be found here: UK announces further import sanctions against Russia - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)