UK Imposes New Sanctions on Russia to ‘Choke Its War Machine’

On 24 April, the UK government announced 150 new trade sanctions against Russia in order to ‘choke the Russian war machine’.

The Gaze reports on this with reference to Politico.

‘Today, we are flexing our powers to choke the Russian war machine, save Ukrainian lives and protect British businesses from cynical Russian exploitation,’ said Stephen Doughty, the UK's junior minister for Europe, North America and the Overseas Territories.

The new British package of restrictive measures includes 150 new trade sanctions against Russia.

It is noted that the sanctions package is mainly aimed at stopping the access of innovative software and technologies to Russia's defence and energy sectors, including video game controllers used to pilot drones in the war against Ukraine, as well as stopping the transfer of technologies used in the production of high-priority goods (electronic goods such as amplifiers and electronic circuits).

The government also bans exports of chemicals, electronics, machinery and metals to limit Russia's military and industrial capabilities.

In addition, London is denying Russia access to other technologies, including software that can find and develop new oil and gas wells.

‘Cutting off Russia's energy revenues will drain Putin's military funds. That's why we're stopping the sale of sophisticated software used to cash in on new oil and gas reserves, preventing British expertise from being used to put fresh fuel into the Russian war machine,’ Doughty said.

The new restrictive measures take effect immediately.

As The Gaze reported earlier, on 24 February, the United Kingdom introduced the largest package of sanctions against Russia since its full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.