New UK sanctions target Kremlin war chest, propagandists and torturers

• New package of sanctions against Russia announced as UK steps up economic pressure ahead of the winter.
• 31 new measures include sanctioning LNG shadow fleet vessels, Kremlin disinformation networks and perpetrators of civilian torture and child indoctrination. 
• Action comes as Russia fired over 3,100 jet powered drones into Ukraine in September, outstripping its grim wartime record from August.  

The UK has announced a package of sanctions designed to stem funding for Putin’s war chest, disrupt disinformation networks and go after those responsible for torturing Ukrainian civilians and deporting Ukrainian children.

Following sham elections in Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine earlier this month, the UK is now taking firm action against people and entities found to have undermined Ukraine’s territorial integrity through human rights abuses.  

They include eight people involved in the arbitrary detention, torture and ill-treatment of Ukrainian civilians. These abuses are part of a wider system of repression in Russia’s occupied territories, where enforced disappearance and denial of justice have also been used against Ukrainian civilians.

A further seven individuals are being targeted for their role in the indoctrination and militarisation of Ukrainian children, including those deported by the Russian authorities. To date, an estimated 6,000 Ukrainian children have been forcibly relocated to a network of heinous so-called “re-education” camps.  

Millions more Ukrainian children living under Russian occupation are subjected to Kremlin propaganda programmes. These include training in weapons handling and drone operation and are designed to strip children of their Ukrainian identity while preparing them to serve the very state attacking their homeland. 

In addition, the Russian state is attempting to build a dangerous new ‘shadow fleet’ to circumvent sanctions and sustain revenues from its gas exports. Today’s package targets several vessels acquired to support that effort, including some that entered service as recently as July this year. By targeting these ships, the UK is increasing pressure on a sector the Russian state sees as critical to its future revenues. 

Minister for Europe Lord Wood of Anfield said:

We are targeting both the revenues that help sustain Russia’s aggression and perpetrators of horrendous crimes against Ukrainian civilians, including children. The UK will not flinch in our support for Ukraine.

As part of the UK’s work with international partners to support their transition away from Russian energy, existing licensing arrangements have been extended to cover LNG, on a targeted and time-limited basis, to support the Republic of Korea’s and Japan’s energy security.

Japan and the Republic of Korea are close partners of the UK that have shown leadership in their support for Ukraine. As a member of the Coalition of the Willing, Japan has pledged over $20 billion in financial, humanitarian and reconstruction assistance to Ukraine. In July 2026 the Republic of Korea also announced a new $100 million package of assistance for Ukraine. 

The UK has led international efforts to crack down on Russia’s decrepit shadow fleet, sanctioning nearly 600 tankers used to evade Western sanctions and bankroll Putin’s war machine. In June, UK forces delivered another blow when they intercepted the shadow fleet vessel SMYRTOS, sending a clear message that those helping to fund Russia’s aggression cannot hide. International sanctions have already deprived Russia of nearly $500 billion in funding for its war effort and the UK will continue to keep up the pressure. 

It comes as Russia continues to intensify its vicious air attacks on Ukraine, with drone and missile strikes in the last week killing at least 44 civilians and injuring a further 315, and follows the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary’s diplomatic push to support Ukraine at UNGA. 

Russia has continued to wage a disinformation war across the world, utilising a network of faceless online bot farms and trolls to target democratic processes and spread disinformation.  

As the Prime Minister made clear at the UN last week, the Kremlin spends around £1.3 billion each year on manipulating information – putting the security of Europe and the UK at stake. Today’s package includes seven individuals – including four Georgian nationals – involved in spreading pro-Kremlin disinformation, from legitimising Russia’s occupation of Ukrainian territory to serving in Russian-installed authorities in occupied South Ossetia,  

Today’s measures demonstrate the UK’s determination, alongside partners, to hold those responsible for Russian state aggression against Ukraine to account, constrain the revenues sustaining its war and defend the security of Ukraine, the UK and Europe. While the UK does not seek confrontation with Russia, until Putin chooses to end his senseless and barbaric war, the UK’s support for Ukraine will remain unshakeable. 

Notes to editors:

• The package comprises 23 individuals and entities and eight ships. 

• The 23 individuals and entities will be subject to asset freezes, trust services sanctions and director disqualification sanctions. The individuals will also face travel bans. The eight ships will be subject to shipping and trade sanctions.  

• The vessels sanctioned include three shadow fleet vessels, two vessels providing them with bunkering services and three Russian-owned ice-class vessels 

• UK Sanctions list: The UK Sanctions List - GOV.UK