LONDON
Britain on Friday, the first anniversary of Ukraine war, said it has banned the export of “every item Russia has been found using on the battlefield to date.”
The new package of “internationally coordinated sanctions and trade measures” was announced by Foreign Secretary James Cleverly.
The ban includes “hundreds of goods are aircraft parts, radio equipment, and electronic components that can be used by the Russian military industrial complex, including in the production of UAVs,” according to a statement by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
It said that the military intelligence suggested “a shortage of components in Russia as a result of sanctions is already likely affecting their ability to produce equipment for export, such as armoured vehicles, attack helicopters and air defence systems.”
“As a result, it is highly likely that Russia’s role as a reliable arms exporter and their military-industrial complex are being undermined by international sanctions. Today’s measures will damage them further, undermining Putin’s military machine which is already having to mobilise soviet-era tanks and harvest freezers for low-grade chips.”
“Ukrainians are turning the tide on Russia, but they cannot do it alone. That is why we must do more to help Ukraine win,” Cleverly said.
He added: “Today we are sanctioning the elites who run Putin’s key industries and committing to prohibit the export to Russia of every item Russia has been found using on the battlefield.”
Britain also sanctioned “senior executives at Russian state-owned nuclear power company Rosatom, plus executives from Russia’s two largest defence companies, four banks, and other Russian elites.”
Four banks, including MTS, are also being sanctioned as part of today’s package, according to the statement.
As many as “34 executives connected to Russia’s two largest defence companies Rostec, Russia’s multibillion state owned defence conglomerate, and Almaz-Antey Corporation, a state owned Russian company specialising in producing surface to air missiles and firearms for aircrafts,” are also sanctioned.
As part of the new sanctions, “the UK is also announcing new major trade measures, undermining Russia’s military machine and cutting at Putin’s finances,” the press release said. “Alongside banning exports of products found used by Russia on the battlefield, the UK will also ban the import of 140 goods including iron and steel products processed in third countries.”
