UK Imposes New Sanctions on Russian Ships, Banks and Industrial Firms

LONDON: Britain has announced a new package of sanctions targeting Russian ships, banks and industrial companies in an effort to further restrict Moscow’s access to revenue that could help finance its war against Ukraine.

The British government said the measures include 13 new designations and six specifications under its Russia sanctions regime. The latest restrictions target six Russian banks, six newly acquired tankers linked to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” and four Russian companies involved in importing tantalum and niobium, rare metals used in military applications.

The government said the measures are intended in particular to disrupt revenues from Russia’s oil trade and limit the financial resources available to Moscow.

British Foreign Minister Ed Miliband said the United Kingdom would continue increasing pressure on Russia until a “just and lasting peace” is achieved.

With the latest measures, Britain has now sanctioned more than 3,400 individuals, entities and vessels under its Russia sanctions regime since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The inclusion of shadow-fleet tankers reflects growing Western efforts to target vessels used to transport Russian oil outside conventional shipping and financial channels. Britain and its allies have increasingly focused on such networks as part of broader efforts to enforce sanctions and reduce Moscow’s ability to generate energy revenues.

The new measures also target companies involved in the trade of tantalum and niobium, two rare metals with applications in advanced industrial and military equipment. By restricting entities involved in their importation, London aims to make it more difficult for Russia to obtain materials that could contribute to its defence-industrial capabilities.

Russia has rejected the latest sanctions. The Russian Embassy in London said previous sanctions had failed to deliver a strategic defeat for Moscow and argued that each additional round demonstrated the futility of the campaign.

The latest British measures form part of a broader Western sanctions campaign aimed at weakening Russia’s economy, restricting access to strategic materials and limiting the revenues that can support its military operations in Ukraine.