- The UK continues to disrupt Russia's military supply chains
and the callous trafficking of foreign migrants in a fresh wave
of sanctions.
- As Russia attempts to exploit migrants to
prop up its war machine, sanctions announced today directly
target individuals trafficking vulnerable migrants to fight on
the frontline of Putin's war, as well as companies' supplying
Russia's drone factories.
- Fresh action demonstrates continued UK leadership
to combat Russian aggression at every level, ratchet up economic
pressure on the Kremlin and support Ukraine for as long as it
takes to secure a just and lasting peace.
The UK has announced a raft of new sanctions to curb production
of Russian drones and the nefarious networks that are exploiting
vulnerable migrants from across the globe to support Russia's
illegal war in Ukraine. The latest action hits 35 individuals and
entities, including those responsible for human
trafficking networks, funnelling exploited migrants into Russia's
war machine.
Networks sanctioned by the UK have been deceptively recruiting
foreign migrants in search of a better life and either sending
them to the front line as cannon fodder or putting them to work
in weapons factories. This includes through schemes like
Russia's Alabuga Start programme for drone
production at a UK-sanctioned entity.
Russia continues to terrorise Ukraine by indiscriminately using
drones, killing, and injuring innocent civilians and
damaging critical infrastructure. Russia fired the
equivalent of over 200 drones per day into Ukraine in March 2026,
the highest ever monthly total. Russia is likely to exceed this
grim record for a second consecutive month in
April.
These attacks rely on domestic manufacturers and third country
suppliers providing key components and technical support. This
new action is designed to disrupt these supply chains and hold
those responsible to account by targeting
the businessmen and companies fuelling Russia's drone
manufacturing capabilities.
Sanctions Minister said:
“The practice of exploiting vulnerable people to prop up
Russia's failing and illegal war in Ukraine is
barbaric.
“These sanctions expose and disrupt the operations of
those trafficking migrants as cannon fodder and feeding Putin's
drone factories with illicit components to target innocent
civilians and vital infrastructure.
“The UK continues to lead international efforts to disrupt
Russia's war machine, ramping up pressure on its economy and
confronting its hybrid threats. We stand shoulder to shoulder
with Ukraine in defence of European security and our shared
values.”
Sanctioned targets also include individuals and entities based in
third countries, including Thailand and China, responsible for
supplying drone components and other critical military goods to
Russia.
Among those sanctioned is Pavel Nikitin, whose company develops
Russia's VT‑40 drone - a cheap, mass‑produced attack
drone which has been used extensively by Russia in its attacks on
Ukraine.
Also sanctioned are three individuals with links to the Russian
state involved in recruiting individuals to travel to Ukraine to
fight for Russia.
This includes Polina Alexandrovna Azarnykh, who, backed by
the Russian state, has been facilitating the travel of
individuals from countries including Egypt, Iraq, Ivory Coast,
Nigeria, Morocco, Syria and Yemen through Russia to Ukraine,
where they are deployed with minimal training and under dire
conditions to the frontline to sustain Russia's illegal war of
aggression.
The UK remains unwavering in its support for Ukraine
and will continue to use the full force of its sanctions powers
to disrupt Russia's hybrid threats and squeeze the Kremlin's war
machine. These measures underline our determination to hold
Russia and its enablers to account, defend European security and
support Ukraine's fight for freedom.
Notes to Editors:
- The UK Global Irregular Migration and Trafficking in Persons
(GIMTiPS) sanctions regime is the world's first dedicated
sanctions regime targeting illegal migration and organised
immigration crime. The UK Government can now target
individuals and entities anywhere in the world involved in people
smuggling and human trafficking, as well as enablers such as
financiers, and companies involved in small boat supply chains.
This marks the first use of the GiMTiPs regime to
tackle human trafficking and the instrumentalisation of
migration to destabilise other countries. The UK
Government is committed to playing its part in eradicating all
forms of modern slavery, forced labour and human
trafficking.
- More information on the UK's support for Ukraine can be
found here.
