LONDON (Reuters) -Britain said on Wednesday it had imposed new sanctions on 206 individuals in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including 178 who it said were involved in propping up Russian-backed breakaway regions of Ukraine.
The Foreign Office said those slapped with asset freezes and travel bans included Alexander Ananchenko and Sergey Kozlov, which it described as self-styled Prime Minister and Chair of Government of the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People’s republics.
Vagit Alekperov, president of Russian oil producer Lukoil who Britain said had a fortune worth 18 billion pounds ($23.6 billion), and Vladimir Yevtushenkov, chair of Russian business conglomerate Sistema, were also sanctioned.
More family members of Russian oligarchs were also targeted, including Pavel Ezubov, cousin of Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska, and Nigina Zairova, executive assistant to businessman Mikhail Fridman.
Maria Lavrova, the wife of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, is subject to a travel ban and asset freeze.
“In the wake of horrific rocket attacks on civilians in Eastern Ukraine, we are today sanctioning those who prop up the illegal breakaway regions and are complicit in atrocities against the Ukrainian people,” Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said.
“We will continue to target all those who aid and abet Putin’s war.”
The government will also proceed with legislation this week to ban imports of iron and steel products as well as the export of quantum technologies, advanced materials and luxury goods.
($1 = 0.7631 pounds)
(Reporting by Kylie MacLellan and Michael Holden; Editing by Kate Holton)
