New sanctions targeting Putin’s war leaders

• Sanctions target both the Generals committing atrocities on the front line, as well as individuals and businesses supporting Putin’s military. 
• Intelligence reveals intentional bombing of critical and civilian infrastructure in Mariupol. 

Following Putin’s renewed assault in Donetsk and Luhansk, and intelligence which reveals intentional bombing of critical and civilian infrastructure in Mariupol, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has today (Thursday 21 April) announced a new wave of 26 sanctions – targeting defence actors.  

Since March 10, Russian bombers have repeatedly dropped munitions on civilian infrastructure, including civil government buildings, hospitals, schools and transportation nodes. The UK government conclusion is that this is intentional targeting based on the types of civilian targets struck, frequency of strikes, volume of munitions and the repeated targeting of the same locations on consecutive days. 

In response to the continued war of aggression in Ukraine, the UK government is imposing new sanctions on key leaders in Russia’s army – targeting those commanding the front line to commit these heinous acts. They are: 

• Lt Colonel Azatbek Omurbekov, a Commanding Officer in the Russian Army with involvement in the ‘Bucha massacre’ 
• Colonel General Andrey Serdyukov, Commander of Airborne Forces 
• Major General Valery Flyustikov, Commander of Special Operations Forces 
• Colonel General Nikolay Bogdanovsky, First Deputy Chief of the General Staff  

Today’s round of sanctions also targets individuals outside of Putin’s military who are actively supporting his illegal invasion of Ukraine. These include Oleg Belozyorov, the CEO and Chairman of vital logistics company Russian Railways, and Ilya Kiva, the defecting and expelled Ukrainian MP who has publicly supported Russia’s actions in Ukraine.   

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss Said:  

“The depravity of Russia’s assault on the people of Ukraine is plain for all to see. They are deliberately targeting hospitals, schools, and transport hubs in Mariupol and beyond – just as they did in Chechnya and Syria.  

“The UK is unyielding in our support for Ukraine and in holding Putin and his regime to account. Today’s new wave of sanctions hits the generals and defence companies that have blood on their hands.” 
 
As part of today’s wave of sanctions, the UK is also fast-tracking a further 19 individuals and entities in alignment with global partners from the G7 and the EU. These additional sanctions are all linked to Russia’s military and defence capabilities as the UK and allies use sanctions to hamstring Putin’s current and future military efforts. Notable individuals and entities that have been fast-tracked include:  

• Sergei Borisovich Korolyov, the First Deputy Director of Federal Security Service of Russia   
• Kalashnikov Concern, a Russian developer and manufacturer of army Russian equipment whose weapons have been used by Russian Armed forces during the invasion of Ukraine  
• Arzamas Machine-Building Plant, who build amphibious armoured personnel carriers that have been used in the invasion of Ukraine  
• Military Industrial Company, a major supplier of arms and military equipment to the Russian armed forces.
• GTLK, Russia's largest leasing company which operates in different types of transport and special equipment for Russian companies in the transport industry.

The UK government will continue to use sanctions to cripple Putin’s siege economy, while supporting Ukraine’s continued resistance. So far, the UK has sanctioned over £900 billion of global assets from banks, and sanctioned oligarchs and their families with a net worth of approximately £200 billion.  

Individuals and entities sanctioned

Standard Process 

• Anzhelika Khan, wife of UK-sanctioned oligarch German Khan. She is subject to an asset freeze.
• Oleg Belozyorov, CEO and Board Chairman of Russian Railways, which is a key enabler for transporting Russian military equipment. Belozyorov is a Russian businessman with close ties to Putin. He is subject to a travel ban and asset freeze. 
• Ilya Kiva, expelled Ukrainian MP. Kiva has undermined the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine by supporting the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He is subject to a travel ban and asset freeze.  
• Lt Col Azatbek Omurbekov, the so-called ‘Butcher of Bucha’, is the Commanding Officer of the unit that occupied Bucha where there have been reports of war crimes with the death toll reaching almost 350. Omurbekov is subject to a travel ban and asset freeze.  
• Colonel General Andrey Serdyukov, Russian Commander Airborne Forces. Serdyukov is one of the six senior commanders responsible for overseeing the different districts of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He also headed the operation of the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014. Serdyukov is subject to a travel ban and asset freeze for undermining the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. 
• Maj Gen Valery Flyustikov, Russian Commander Special Operations Forces. He is subject to a travel ban and asset freeze for undermining the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.
• Col Gen Nikolay Bogdanovsky, First Deputy Chief of the General Staff. Canada has already sanctioned this individual in 2014 due to Russian aggression against Ukraine. He is subject to a travel ban and asset freeze for undermining the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. 

Fast-track Process 

• Sergei Borisovich KOROLYOV, First Deputy Director of the Federal Security Service of Russia and therefore critical to Russia’s security architecture. Canada has already sanctioned this individual due to his role in supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.  
• GTLK, Russia's largest leasing company which operates in different types of transport and special equipment for Russian companies in the transport industry. GTLK carries out investment activities to develop Russia's transport infrastructure. The sole shareholder of this organisation is the Russian Federation represented by Russia’s Ministry of Transport. The EU have already sanctioned this organisation due to GTLK financially supporting and benefitting from the Government of Russia, which is responsible for the annexation of Crimea and the destabilisation of Ukraine.
• JSC ARZ MACHINEBUILDING PLANT, part of a Military Industrial Company which manufactures the BTR-80 amphibious armoured personnel carriers, which were used by Russia during the illegal invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The EU has already sanctioned this organisation for its role in supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 
• JSC Kalashnikov Concern, a Russian developer and manufacturer of army Russian equipment, including personal rifles, missiles and vehicles. Vikhr- 1 guided aircraft missiles and AK-12 assault rifles produced by Kalaslikov Concern were used by the Russian Armed Forces during the illegal invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Both the EU and US have already sanctioned this organisation for its role in supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.  
• LLC MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPANY, a major arms and military equipment provider to the Russian Armed Forces. It produces and sells wheeled and tracked all-terrain vehicles of various purposes. The EU has already sanctioned this organisation for its role in supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Notes to Editors

• Intelligence reveals intentional bombing of critical and civilian infrastructure in Mariupol. The UK government conclusion is that this is intentional targeting is based on the types of civilian targets struck, frequency of strikes, volume of munitions and the repeated targeting of the same locations on consecutive days.
• Last week the UK also welcomed the publication of the OSCE’s Moscow Mechanism report which found clear patterns of violations and potential war crimes by Russian Forces.  Experts also found credible evidence of violations to the most fundamental rights such as the right to life, freedom from torture and other inhuman and degrading treatment and punishment. There was also evidence of humanitarian convoys, and healthcare facilities being attacked and of arbitrary arrests and extra judicial killings.  This independent and expert report helps expose the truth of Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine. It provides evidence of Russian war crimes that are an affront to humanity and that should shame Russia and Putin.

Background

Asset freeze 

An asset freeze prevents any UK citizen, or any business in the UK, from dealing with any funds or economic resources which are owned, held or controlled by the designated person. UK financial sanctions apply to all persons within the territory and territorial sea of the UK and to all UK persons, wherever they are in the world. It also prevents funds or economic resources being provided to or for the benefit of the designated person. 

Travel ban 

A travel ban means that the designated person must be refused leave to enter or to remain in the United Kingdom, providing the individual is an excluded person under section 8B of the Immigration Act 1971. 

Transport sanctions 

Recently introduced powers make it a criminal offence for any Russian aircraft to fly or land in the UK, and give the government powers to remove aircraft belonging to designated Russian individuals and entities from the UK aircraft register, even if the sanctioned individual is not on board. Russian ships are also banned from UK ports.