The United Kingdom has imposed another wave of sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine war.
London is now targeting the country’s defense and aerospace industries, which support Russian President Vladimir Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine.
More Sanctions over Ukraine
In its latest package of sanctions, the UK targeted five companies: CST, which manufactures unmanned aerial vehicles for the Russian military; RT-Komplekt, which manufactures helicopter parts used by the Russian military; Oboronlogistics, which facilitates the transportation and delivery of Russian military equipment; Universalmash and Lipetsk, which manufactures tracked chassis for Russian anti-aircraft weapons; and Topaz, which develops software used by the Russian Aerospace Forces in its helicopters and fighter jets.
“Ukraine has shown Putin that it will not break under his tyrannical invasion. He has responded by indiscriminately striking civilian areas and critical national infrastructure across the country. We cannot let him succeed. We must increase our support,” British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said.
The UK also sanctioned a further eight individuals from Putin’s close circle.
The targets range from oil oligarchs and owners of aircraft maintenance companies, to pro-Kremlin journalists and bankers.
“These new sanctions accelerate the economic pressure on Putin – undermining his war machine to help Ukraine prevail,” Cleverly stated.
“I am determined, consistent with our laws, that Russia will have no access to the assets we have frozen until it ends, once and for all, its threats to Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty and integrity.”
British support has been key to the Ukrainian fight. London is second only to the U.S. in the military aid it has provided Kyiv, and in certain regards, the UK has led the way.
For example, Britain was the first country to provide Ukraine with main battle tanks, in the form of the Challenger 2, which opened the way for the U.S. and Germany to commit M1A2 Abrams and Leopard 2 tanks, respectively.
All in all, the UK has sanctioned more than 1,300 individuals since the Russian invasion began on Feb. 24, 2022. Over $24 billion-worth of trade goods are under full or partial sanctions.
The Impact of Sanctions on Russia
The Western sanctions on the Russian defense and aerospace industries have seriously curtailed the production of weapons systems in Russia.
Russian companies relied to a large degree on Western technology, even for their most advanced weapons systems.
Western microchips and processors are often powering Russia’s unmanned aerial systems and cruise missiles.
The most evident result of the sanctions is on the Russian ballistic and cruise missile arsenal.
The Russian military has had to resort to launching munitions that are designed for different purposes in order to overcome its shortages.
For example, the Russian Aerospace Forces have repeatedly launched S-300 anti-aircraft missiles against ground targets in Ukraine.
Since they aren’t designed for such purposes, these missiles are highly inaccurate in their new role, often striking different targets.
In the end, however, it’s the Ukrainian civilian population that suffers the most as the missiles strike cities and towns indiscriminately.
Indeed, the situation is so bad for the Russian defense and aerospace industry that they have to scrounge for semiconductors from fridges and dishwashers to equip cruise and ballistic missiles.
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Expert Biography
A 19FortyFive Defense and National Security Columnist, Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations, a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ), and a Johns Hopkins University graduate. His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
