LONDON — Britain announced a new sanctions package Thursday targeting 23 individuals and entities and eight ships accused of supporting Russia’s war effort in Ukraine, including alleged “shadow fleet” oil tankers and networks accused of disinformation and the deportation of Ukrainian children, Reuters reported.
The targeted vessels include three alleged shadow-fleet ships, two bunkering vessels and three Russian-owned ice-class vessels, some of which were acquired as recently as July, according to the British government. The shadow fleet — aging tankers with opaque ownership — has been central to Russia’s efforts to keep oil exports flowing around Western price caps.
Among the sanctioned individuals are four Georgian nationals accused of spreading pro-Kremlin disinformation. Others were targeted over the arbitrary detention and torture of Ukrainian civilians, the indoctrination of Ukrainian children and the deportation of Ukrainian children from occupied territory.
The package brings the total number of UK sanctions on Russia-related targets to more than 3,400 since the full-scale invasion began in 2022, making Britain’s regime one of the most extensive alongside those of the United States and the European Union.
The announcement comes as Ukraine faces intensified Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure ahead of winter, and as Western governments look for new pressure points on Moscow’s war economy.