Russia’s PM, former President and dozens of oligarchs are banned from Britain in latest sanctions spree

RUSSIA’S serving PM, Putin’s press secretary and dozens of rich oligarchs have had their travel and assets frozen – as Britain slaps sanctions on another 370 Russians. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss boasted Britain’s sanctions list is now the biggest in the world, targeting more of Putin’s cronies than anywhere else. Over 800 individuals and firms are […]

RUSSIA’S serving PM, Putin’s press secretary and dozens of rich oligarchs have had their travel and assets frozen – as Britain slaps sanctions on another 370 Russians.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss boasted Britain’s sanctions list is now the biggest in the world, targeting more of Putin’s cronies than anywhere else.

AP

Reuters

Over 800 individuals and firms are now on the UK’s list – which has doubled overnight thanks to the rushing through of a new law.

Some of the Kremlin’s closest allies – complicit in the illegal invasion of Ukraine – were slapped with travel bans and asset freezes.

Russian propagandists who have been designated include former President Dmitry Medvedev, Putin’s Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov and Russian Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

A notorious internet ‘troll farm’, the Internet Research Agency, has also been sanctioned.

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Defiant Ms Truss said today: “We are going further and faster than ever in hitting those closest to Putin – from major oligarchs, to his Prime Minister, and the propagandists who peddle his lies and disinformation. 

“We are holding them to account for their complicity in Russia’s crimes in Ukraine.

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“Working closely with our allies, we will keep increasing the pressure on Putin and cut off funding for the Russian war machine.”

Many of those on today’s list have been sanctioned by other allies in the US, EU or Canada.

They include 

• Mikhail Mishustin, the current Prime Minister of Russia- Sergei Shoigu, a Russian Defence Minister since 2021
• Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian President and deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia
• Alexey Mordaschov, a member of who are reported to be Russia’s richest family.

A string of oligarchs worth £30billion include:

• Mickhail Fridman, founder of Alfa Bank, the largest private bank in Russia
• German Khan, a business partner of Aven and Fridman in both Alfa Bank and Letter One

It came as the UK hit the Russian economy with a fresh ban on luxury cars, art and fur coats. 

And a string of imports including vodka and fertiliser will now face a huge 35 per cent tariff on top of the current penalties as a result of crippling new trade rules.