Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during press conference in Hanoi, Vietnam, on June 20. Britain on Thursday announced dozens of sanctions targeting the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine and malign activities in Africa. File Photo by Gavriil Grigorov/Sputnik/EPA-EFE
Nov. 7 (UPI) — Britain on Thursday unleashed a wave of new sanctions targeting not only Russia’s military-industrial complex enability its war in Ukraine but also the Kremlin’s malign activities in Africa.
The package of sanctions against 56 entities and individuals is the largest that Britain has unveiled against Russia in about 18 months and comes as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer arrives in Budapest for the start of a European summit where his foreign ministry states he intends to “discuss efforts to combat Russian malign activity across Europe and reaffirm the UK’s unwavering support for Ukraine.”
“Today’s measures will continue to push back on the Kremlin’s corrosive foreign policy, undermining Russia’s attempts to foster instability across Africa and disrupting the supply of vital equipment for Putin’s war machine. And smashing the illicit international networks that Russia has worked so hard to forge,” Foreign Secretary David Lammy said in a statement.
Twenty-eight suppliers, including 10 based in China and six in Kazakhstan, that produce machine tools, drone components and other goods for Russia’s military-industrial complex were hit with sanctions as Britain tries to sever the Kremlin from its supply of vital military equipment.
Three private mercenary groups with ties to the Kremlin, including Africa Corps, which was reorganized from the infamous Wagner Group, along with 11 associated individuals, were blacklisted Thursday.
Britain added that it is the first of the G7 group of nations to sanction Africa Corps.
London said these sanctions are targeting those threatening peace and security in Libya, Mali and the Central African Republic and are intended to expose and combat “Russia’s illicit activity in Africa, as it attempts to exploit the fragile security environments and natural resources in these countries for its gain and expand the Kremlin’s sphere of influence.”
Britain also sanctioned Denis Sergeev, an agent of the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate, better known as GRU, who is accused of being involved in the 2018 assassination attempt of exiled former GRU double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Britain, the United States and other allies have responded by imposing thousands of sanctions targeting Russia in an effort to internationally isolate the country.
The effort has seen Russia deepen relations with countries such as Iran and North Korea to refill its armories and has even turned to Pyongyang for soldiers, with thousands entering the war this week.