Britain has announced another wave of sanctions against Russia, hitting Putin’s oil revenues and military suppliers, as Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper travels to Kyiv to meet President
Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The move comes after a series of reckless Russian airstrikes that not only struck the heart of Kyiv — damaging the Cabinet of Ministers building and international institutions — but also violated NATO airspace over Poland.
100 new sanctions to squeeze Moscow
The UK is imposing 100 new sanctions aimed at cutting off the cash and supplies fueling Russia’s war. These include restrictions on 70 ships from the so-called “shadow fleet” used to move Russian oil around global markets, as well as companies and individuals supplying key military components like electronics, chemicals, and explosives.
With these steps, Britain has now blacklisted more oil tankers than any other country, leading the international effort to choke off Putin’s ability to fund his invasion.
Escalating Russian attacks
The sanctions come against the backdrop of Russia’s most intense bombardments of the war. In just one night, Moscow unleashed over 800 missiles and drones on Ukraine, part of a wider escalation that saw 6,500 launched in July alone — ten times more than a year earlier.
Recent attacks have damaged Ukrainian government buildings, the British Council, and the EU delegation in Kyiv, while pushing tensions with NATO to new levels after drones crossed into Polish airspace.
UK stands firm with Ukraine
Speaking in Kyiv, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper condemned Russia’s actions:
“The UK will not stand idly by as Putin continues his barbaric invasion of Ukraine. His complete disregard for sovereignty has been shown this week when he recklessly sent drones into NATO airspace. The security of NATO and Ukraine are crucial to the UK’s security – an integral part of the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change.
International action to increase economic pressure on Russia and to cut off critical cash flows which he desperately needs to pay for this illegal war is vital. These sanctions form the next stage in the UK’s leading efforts to ramp up economic pressure alongside our security support and our work alongside the Coalition of the Willing for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine”.
She stressed that ramping up economic pressure is essential to starving Russia of the resources it needs to sustain its assault.
Among the newly sanctioned are Shenzhen Blue Hat International Trade Co., a Chinese electronics supplier, and its Russian co-owners, as well as Turkish firm Mastel Makina and its Azerbaijani CEO. The components these companies provide are widely used in Russian missiles and drones, including the Iskander and Kh-101 — weapons that have devastated Ukrainian cities.
A push for lasting peace
The UK says these measures are part of a broader strategy: combining economic pressure, military support, and international coordination with the US, Ukraine, and other allies to push for a “just and lasting peace.”
As Ukraine braces against another winter of war, Britain is signaling clearly that it will not let up in its support. Photo by Simon Dawson / No10 Downing Street, Wikimedia commons.