Britain imposes sanctions on Russia for spreading disinformation in Ukraine

"Putin is so desperate to undermine European support for Ukraine he is now resorting to clumsy, ineffective efforts to try and stoke unrest. Today’s sanctions send a clear message: we will not tolerate your lies and interference, and we are coming after you," said UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

Today, sanctions were imposed against three Russian agencies and their senior executives, who are attempting to undermine Ukraine and its democracy.

Specifically, the Russian IT company Social Design Agency (SDA) is tasked and funded directly by the Russian authorities. Together with its partner company Structura, it has attempted to conduct a series of interference operations aimed at undermining democracy and weakening international support for Ukraine.

According to the UK, SDA has tried to incite protests in six European countries. Despite the Russians pouring money into the activities of these malicious organizations, their bots, and fake websites have only limited engagement.

These companies and their managers are responsible for a vast malicious online network, widely known as Doppelganger, which floods social media with fake posts, forged documents, and deepfakes.

Such tactics are aimed at obscuring the truth about Russia's invasion of Ukraine and diverting attention from the real essence of the war.

Sanctions against Russia

The UK has imposed sanctions on the Russian troops responsible for radiological, chemical, and biological defense and their commander Igor Kirillov due to allegations of using chemical weapons in Ukraine.

For the first time, 11 vessels from Russia's shadow fleet, including the Amur Bay and SСF Pechora, have also been sanctioned. According to British authorities, these vessels assist Moscow in circumventing oil export restrictions.

Additionally, the UK has established a new unit to monitor compliance with trade sanctions and enhance oversight of service exports to Russia.