Statutory guidance

Russia sanctions: guidance

GuidanceStatutory onguidance for the Russia (Sanctions)sanctions (EUregime, Exit)plus Regulationsa 2019 summary of its purposes, scope and prohibitions.

From:
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Export Control Joint Unit, Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation and Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation
Published
9 May 2019
Last updated
1225 March 2026 — See all updates

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Russia sanctions: statutory guidance

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The Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 came, fullyand intocertain forceother onregulations, 31are Decemberin 2020.force to meet the UK’s policy objectives. 

This guidancesummary assistsgives peoplea quick overview of the sanctions in implementingplace under the regime. It is not comprehensive and complyingis withnot a replacement for the regulations.statutory Itguidance coversor the prohibitionsregulations themselves. 

Summary 

The Russia sanctions are broad in scope. 

Designated persons and requirementsspecified imposed,ships 

The UK Sanctions List tells you who is designated under the regime and provideswhich sanctions have been applied to them. A designated person can be an individual, a business or an organisation.  

The statutory guidance onlists bestin practicedetail for:the sanctions that can apply in respect of designated persons, including: 

  • complyingan withasset thefreeze prohibitionson their funds and requirementsother assets 
  • enforcingmaking themavailable funds or economic resources to them   
  • circumstancesdirector wheredisqualification 
  • immigration theysanction do(travel notban) 
  • provision applyof internet services  

ThisUnder guidancethis shouldregime, ships can also be readsubject alongsideto moresanctions, detailedif they are specified on the UK Sanctions List or have certain connections with Russia or with persons designated for that purpose. 

Wider financial and trade sanctions 

As well as the sanctions guidancethat publishedapply byonly departmentsin respect of designated persons, there are wider sanctions that apply to certain activities with links to Russia, including in respect of ‘persons connected with Russia’ (note ‘persons’ includes business and organisations) and with respect to land in Russia or in non-government controlled Ukrainian territory.  

These sanctions include certain investment restrictions, a ban on loans and credit, and a ban on insurance and reinsurance. 

Certain financial dealings with sanctioned Russian banks and financial organisations, and with the DepartmentGovernment of Russia are also prohibited. It’s also illegal to provide them with certain financial services. 

You must not provide certain professional services to ‘persons connected with Russia’. 

Sanctions on goods and services 

You must not export or otherwise supply or transfer to Russia, for Businessuse in Russia, or to a person connected with Russia, certain goods in these categories (this is not an exhaustive list): 

  • military, security and Tradepara-military (DBT),goods, Departmentsoftware and technology and arms, ammunition and related material  
  • defence and security goods and technology 
  • dual-use goods and technology   
  • internal repression goods and technology 
  • critical-industry goods and technology 
  • aviation and space goods and technology 
  • G7 dependency and further goods and technology 
  • oil refining goods and technology 
  • quantum computing and advanced materials goods and technology 
  • energy-related goods and technology and infrastructure-related goods 
  • chemical and biological weapons-related goods and technology 
  • machinery-related goods and technology 
  • Russia’s vulnerable goods and technology (including certain wood products, tools,  machinery components and chemicals) 
  • sectoral software and technology 
  • luxury goods 
  • banknotes 
  • technical assistance relating to aircraft and ships 
  • jet fuel and fuel additives 

Related financial services, brokering services and technical assistance may also be subject to sanctions. Transit controls are also in force. 

You must not directly or indirectly provide interception and monitoring services to or for the benefit of the Government of Russia. 

You must not provide trade services including: 

  • professional and business-related services 
  • energy-related services 
  • infrastructure or tourism-related services (to non-government-controlled Ukrainian territories) 

You must not import, acquire from Russia, from a person connected with Russia or from a third country if originating in Russia, certain goods in these categories (this is not an exhaustive list): 

  • arms and related materiel 
  • iron and steel products 
  • certain metals 
  • revenue-generating goods 
  • gold, processed gold or gold jewellery 
  • natural diamonds, synthetic diamonds or diamond jewellery 

Related financial services, brokering services and technical assistance may also be subject to sanctions. Transit controls are also in force. 

Transport (DfT),sanctions 

Transport Homesanctions Officemake it an offence to allow Russian aircraft or ships, or specified ships, into UK airspace or ports and HMcreate Treasury,powers throughto make directions to effect this.  

Oil and oil services ban 

You must not import or otherwise acquire, directly or indirectly from Russia: 

  • oil and oil products 
  • coal and coal products 
  • liquefied natural gas  

Maritime transportation of certain Russian oil and oil products is generally prohibited unless it conforms to the Officeterms of Financialthe Oil SanctionsPrice ImplementationCap (OFSI).(OPC). 

Related financial services, brokering services and technical assistance are also subject to sanctions. 

Crimea and non-government-controlled territory of Ukraine 

Some of the Russia trade sanctions are specific to Crimea and non-government-controlled areas of the Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts of Ukraine. For example the export ban on infrastructure related goods applies only to these areas.  

There are also exceptions specific to these areas, for example  import bans on certain goods may not apply if the goods are certified as originating in Ukraine.

Updates to this page

Published 9 May 2019
Last updated 1225 March 2026 + show all updates

  1. Added summary of the regime's purposes, scope and prohibitions. Updated transport sanctions section for better clarity and usability, with no material changes to text.

  2. Page has been updated for better clarity and usability. No material changes to text.

  3. Added link to guide to trade licensing considerations, 'Look up considerations for trade licences under the Russia sanctions'.

  4. Added 'Look up exceptions to the Russia trade and transport sanctions' and 'Look up amendments to the Russia sanctions regulations'.

  5. latest amendments cover new licencing Regs 46Z34 - 46Z

  6. Significant additions to Russia trade sanctions measures that come into force on 24.04.2025 and have been incorporated into this updated version on the stat guidance.

  7. Page navigation has been updated for better usability. No material changes to text.

  8. These changes reflect the Sanctions (EU Exit) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No.2) Regulations 2024 and taken together make a range of technical changes with the purpose of improving OFSI’s ability to gather intelligence on industry’s compliance with financial sanctions, strengthen OFSI’s enforcement powers, enable OFSI to conduct its licensing responsibilities more efficiently, and clarify financial sanctions legislation where there is existing uncertainty.

  9. Lines removed to reflect the change in licensing conditions in russia sanctions regulations.

  10. Added the Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI) as a supporting organisation, who took over civil enforcement for sanctions in October 2024. As part of these new powers, OTSI has introduced a new service to apply for sanctions licences for the provision of services, which replaces the previous process of applying via SPIRE. Applications for goods-related exports sanctions licences remain via SPIRE.

  11. Changes made to align with amendments to regulation 54D.

  12. Changes made to reflect amendments to legal services prohibition as a result of SI laid by FCDO

  13. Prohibition 46Z16R has been amended to update licencing information of third country processed Russian diamonds, including new links to guidance.

  14. Amended to incorporate latest legislation guidance on director disqualification and ship specification in sanctions.

  15. Information on the prohibition of metals updated to reflect amendments to the Trade Licence on the acquisition of metals.

  16. New Chapter 4JC bans the import of diamonds processed in a third country that originate from Russia and builds on Chapter 4JB that banned the direct import of all diamonds from Russia.

  17. Amended the date in Regulation 46IB from April 2023 to June 2023

  18. Guidance updated to include licencing grounds relating to Schedule 3DA revenue generating goods.

  19. Guidance updated to reflect the provisions in the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No.4) Regulations 2023 and the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No.5) Regulations 2023.

  20. Guidance updated to add additional licencing grounds for the purpose of divestment from Russia

  21. Guidance updated to add a licensing ground for the restrictions on legal advisory services (Regulation 54D).

  22. This amendment introduces guidance on the addition of the prohibition of Legal advisory services to the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019

  23. Guidance updated to reflect the provisions in the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2023.

  24. Minor changes to lines on provision of food services.

  25. Guidance updated to reflect the provisions in the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2023.

  26. Guidance updated to add a licencing ground for professional and business services for critical energy supply.

  27. Guidance updated to clarify the application of prohibitions on the provision of technical assistance relating to, and making available or transferral of, aviation and space goods and technology or critical-industry goods and technology.

  28. A new licensing ground related to medical goods has been added to the licensing grounds for the export of Russia's vulnerable goods.

  29. Guidance updated to reflect the provisions in the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 17) Regulations 2022

  30. Guidance updated to clarify the application of the prohibition on provision of technical assistance, financial services or funds related to G7 dependency and further goods.

  31. Guidance updated to clarify the application of the prohibition on providing financial services and funds relating to restricted goods and G7 dependency and further goods.

  32. Guidance updated to reflect the provisions in the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 16) Regulations 2022

  33. Guidance updated to reflect the provisions in the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 15) Regulations 2022

  34. Guidance updated to reflect the provisions in the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 14) Regulations 2022.

  35. Guidance updated to reflect the provisions in the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 12) Regulations 2022 and the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 13) Regulations 2022.

  36. Guidance updated to reflect the provisions in the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 11) Regulations 2022.

  37. Guidance updated to clarify the application of the prohibition on providing insurance and reinsurance services in relation to aviation and space goods and technology.

  38. Guidance updated to reflect the provisions in the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 10) Regulations 2022.

  39. Guidance updated to clarify the application of the prohibition on providing insurance and reinsurance services in relation to aviation and space goods and technology.

  40. Guidance updated to reflect the provisions in the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 9) Regulations 2022.

  41. Guidance updated to reflect the provisions in the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 8) Regulations 2022.

  42. Updated to add Annex A and Annex B

  43. Guidance updated to reflect the provisions in the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 7) Regulations 2022.

  44. Guidance updated to clarify that the prohibition on providing financial services for the purposes of foreign exchange reserve and asset management also applies to transactions involving gold.

  45. Guidance updated to reflect the provisions in the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 6) Regulations 2022.

  46. Guidance amended to reflect the provisions in the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No.4) Regulations 2022 and the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No.5) Regulations 2022.

  47. Guidance amended to reflect the provisions in the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2022 and the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No.3) Regulations 2022.

  48. Updated to link to the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2022.

  49. First published.

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