UK launches crackdown on sanctions-busting by Russia’s allies

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Britain has announced its largest ever crackdown on third countries aiding Russia after a dramatic plea from Ukraine’s first lady in an interview with Independent TV.

Foreign secretary James Cleverly said the 25 new sanctions would give those assisting Moscow’s illegal invasion “nowhere to hide”.

It follows Olena Zelenska’s warning that, without urgent steps to clamp down on loopholes that allow Russia to fuel its war, the conflict risks continuing “endlessly”.

The Independent revealed on Monday that the government was hoping to act on the problem imminently.

The crackdown includes targeting companies outside Russia which supply drones and microelectronics to its defence industry.

Sanctions include asset freezes and travel bans.

Russia is using drones to attack critical infrastructure to try to cut Ukrainians off from electricity, heating and water. Their use to attack grain silos in Ukraine also makes them a threat to global food security.

Those caught up in the new sanctions include individuals and businesses in Turkey, Dubai, Slovakia and Switzerland, which the Foreign Office said were “supporting the illegal war in Ukraine”.

Ministers believe the stepping up of its war on Russia’s access to resources will have a real impact on a regime they said was already being forced to take apart kitchen freezers to harvest low-grade computer chips.

Mr Cleverly said the “landmark” action would “further diminish Russia’s arsenal and close the net on supply chains propping up Vladimir Putin’s struggling defence sector”.

“There is nowhere for those sustaining Russia’s military machine to hide,” he added.

The UK, alongside others in the G7 group of advanced nations, had repeatedly warned third parties to “immediately cease providing material support to Russia’s aggression or face severe costs,” he added.

The UK is also taking further action to tackle Iran and Belarus’ support for the Russian military.

Iranian individuals and groups involved in drone development were slapped with fresh sanctions. These have also been imposed on defence organisations linked to the manufacturing of military tech for the Belarusian regime, which has directly helped Putin’s forces.

Speaking exclusively to Independent TV from the presidential compound in Kyiv, Ms Zelenska said that in order to combat Putin’s invasion the world had to impose heavy sanctions, and “terminate the possibility of circumventing these sanctions”.

In a rare interview, she also warned: “There are countries that simply underestimate the threat from Russia who think that it is far from them. When there is such a powerful terrorist in the world, no one can feel completely safe.

“Some countries continue to conduct trade with [Russia] through third countries and think that this is acceptable because it is important for their business... I believe that this is simply and critically wrong. Resources are being spent on this [war].

“But resources will be spent endlessly until Russia’s ability to wage war is stopped.”

Among those sanctioned are two Turkey-based businesses, Turkik Union and Azu International, for exporting microelectronics used by Putin’s forces. The Dubai-based Aeromotus Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Trading was also sanctioned for its role in supplying drones to Moscow.

Slovakian national Ashot Mkrtychev was added to the sanctions list for his involvement in an attempted arms deal between North Korea and Russia, said the Foreign Office. And a Swiss national, Anselm Oskar Schmucki, was sanctioned for his role in Russia’s financial services sector.

Also affected is the Belarusian company Gomel Radio Plant, for repairing Russian military equipment, a key issue as the war drags on now more than 500 days since the invasion, and the Iranian Paravar Pars Company, a drone manufacturer, as well as seven of its executives. Iran is responsible for supplying Russia with the kamikaze drones used to bombard Ukraine, the Foreign Office said.

New sanctions have also been placed on three Russian companies importing electronics that the UK government says are vital to the military equipment that Russia is using on the battlefield.

Britain, America and the European Union have all imposed a range of sanctions since the war began designed to try to stop Russia in its tracks. As a result of sanctions there has been a 99 per cent fall in UK goods imports from Russia and an 80 per cent cut in UK goods being exported to Russia.

On Monday, a spokesman for Mr Cleverly said that the government’s own assessment of the situation echoed “the frustrations the first lady has expressed about the use of third countries to circumvent sanctions”.

He said at the time: “Not only is her a view a position we ourselves have already taken, we are right now working quickly but carefully to make the use of a third country as a ‘cut out’ far more difficult or indeed to try and stop it altogether.”