As President Volodymyr Zelensky is visiting London on Feb. 8, the U.K. government announced new sanctions on Russia’s elites and the military sector.
The new sanctions package targets seven entities, including six that provide military equipment such as drones for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and one company that is "connected to nefarious financial networks that help maintain wealth and power amongst Kremlin elites."
The package also targets eight individuals, including five that are connected to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s luxury residences, such as the 100 billion rouble "Putin’s palace" and Putin’s lakeside Dacha.
“These new sanctions accelerate the economic pressure on Putin – undermining his war machine to help Ukraine prevail,” said U.K. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, adding that Russia will have no access to the frozen assets "until it ends, once and for all, its threats to Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty and integrity."
The U.K. has sanctioned over 1,300 individuals and entities, and imposed a number of trade measures since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.