UK preparing another major sanctions package against Russia, official says

Following sanctions targeting Russian uranium, military-industrial components, and maritime transportation, the United Kingdom is preparing another large-scale package of restrictions against Russia, with the next phase expected to focus primarily on the country's financial sector.

Ukraine's Presidential Commissioner for Sanctions Policy Vladyslav Vlasiuk said this in comments to Ukrinform.

Vlasiuk said discussions surrounding the UK's latest decisions often overlooked the significance of the sanctions package adopted on May 20, which he described as a substantial instrument of pressure on Russia.

According to him, the package introduced tough sanctions against Russian uranium, including bans on its import, purchase, and transit through third countries, which he said dealt a direct blow to the revenues and leverage of Rosatom in the Western nuclear energy market.

He also noted that the sanctions significantly expanded export controls on goods used by Russia's military-industrial complex. The restrictions cover industrial chemicals, metals, and equipment required for the production of microchips, semiconductors, and drones, including carbon fiber products, aluminum, boron nitride, ammonium fluorides, and arsine.

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Vlasiuk added that the sanctions package also broadened restrictions on construction-related services. According to him, companies and specialists are now prohibited from providing not only architectural and engineering services to Russia-linked entities, but also certain construction services.

He explained that the new measures strengthen oversight of vessels linked to Russia by expanding the criteria under which ships can fall under sanctions. The package also introduces new licensing requirements, bans the provision of a number of maritime services, and limits the operation and chartering of vessels transporting Russian liquefied gas or coal. He said the goal was to complicate Russian energy exports and close loopholes used to circumvent sanctions through maritime logistics.

"This is another stage in the modernization of the sanctions regime, but far from the final one," Vlasiuk said, adding that Ukraine expected another major sanctions package from the UK later this week focused specifically on Russia's financial sector.