Britain expands sanctions against Russia, Belarus

British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has said that the British government has expanded the sanctions list against Russia and Belarus, adding 19 and six more items, respectively.

"Today's landmark sanctions will further diminish Russia’s arsenal and close the net on supply chains propping up (President) Putin's now struggling defence industry," Reuters quotes Cleverly as saying.

The publication states that London has blocked the assets of six Belarusian firms: Bolomo Holding, Orsha Aircraft Repair Plant, Gomel Radio Plant, Kidma Tech, JSC Peleng and 2566 Plant for Repair of Radio-Electronic Weapons.

According to the assessment of the UK authorities, all of the above companies "were involved in benefiting from or supporting the Belarusian authorities by doing business in a sector of strategic importance to the Government of the Republic".

The sanctions prohibit UK entities from providing trust services - the creation of a trust or similar arrangement - to those sanctioned and also impose asset freezes, which block their assets held in the UK.

The British government, which has sanctioned over 1,600 individuals and entities since the start of the Ukraine conflict, said the latest round of sanctions marked its biggest-ever action on military suppliers in third countries.