Live updates: Russia’s war in Ukraine- QHN

The United Kingdom has sanctioned another 22 Russian officials for aiding Russia’s war on Ukraine, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly announced Wednesday. 

In total, London has now sanctioned more than 1,200 individuals and 120 entities over Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, according to a UK Foreign Office press release.

The new package of sanctions includes Deputy Prime Minister Denis Valentinovich Manturov who, according to the press release, “is responsible for overseeing the Russian weapons industry and responsible for equipping mobilised troops.” 

Ten governors and regional leaders have also been sanctioned, including the heads of “some of Russia’s poorest ethnic republics,” Dagestan, Ingushetia and Kalmykia, “from which a significant number of conscripts have been drawn,” said the Foreign Office. 

Arkady Gostev, director of the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Russian Federation, and Dmitry Bezrukikh, the head of the Federal Punishment Service of the Rostov region, have also been sanctioned.

According to the release, Gostev and Bezrukikh have reportedly worked closely with Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner Group, a Russian private military group that has been heavily involved in fighting in Ukraine. 

Ella Pamfilova, chairperson of the Central Election Commission and Andrey Burov, head of the regional election commission in Rostov, have also been sanctioned. They were both responsible for organizing the “sham” referendums in the four temporarily occupied areas of Ukraine, according to the press release.

“We have sanctioned individuals who have enforced this conscription, sending thousands of Russian citizens to fight in Putin’s illegal and abhorrent war,” said Cleverly, as quoted in the press release.  

“The UK will continue to use both sanctions and military aid to support Ukraine in the defence of their independence,” he added.