UK blocks donation intended for Ukrainian children in Israel

The UK government has blocked the majority of a $100,000 charitable donation intended to support socially vulnerable Ukrainian children, approving funds for use in Ukraine but rejecting the portion allocated to those currently under care in Israel, The Jerusalem Post reports.

The donation was offered by businessman Eugene Shvidler, who has been under UK sanctions since 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Shvidler, a British and US citizen born in the former Soviet Union, has never held Russian citizenship and has not visited Russia since 2007.

He is challenging the restrictions imposed on him through ministerial reviews, as well as in the UK Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights.

The funds were intended for the Alumim children’s centre, a Jewish educational and charitable organisation focused on community support and education.

Following the outbreak of the war, the centre relocated part of its operations to Ashkelon, where it provides housing, care, and assistance to Ukrainian children evacuated from the country, including many from disadvantaged or unstable family backgrounds.

Under UK law, sanctioned individuals may access frozen funds for humanitarian purposes if granted a license by the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), part of the Treasury.

The rules allow charitable payments without geographical restrictions, provided authorisation is obtained.

According to documents reviewed by the publication, Shvidler’s legal team first applied for a license on September 15, 2025, to transfer the full $100,000 to the organisation.

On December 19, OFSI rejected the application, requesting further details on how the funds would be distributed between activities in Ukraine and Israel.

In a revised application submitted on January 22, 2026, it was specified that $20,000 would go to operations in Ukraine, while $80,000 would support Ukrainian children currently residing in Israel.

The application cited UK regulations permitting humanitarian aid worldwide, as well as prior government statements supporting Ukrainian refugees outside Ukraine.

On April 17, OFSI approved $20,000 for Ukraine but rejected the $80,000 earmarked for Israel.

In its decision, the agency argued that using funds in Israel could undermine the objectives of the sanction regime, stating that it carries a risk of diverting frozen funds from the purpose for which they were frozen, namely, encouraging Russia to change its behaviour.

The ruling effectively blocks funding for displaced Ukrainian children receiving support outside Ukraine, including those evacuated due to the war.

The case comes amid heightened scrutiny of the UK’s sanctions decisions.

A March report by the Financial Times cited internal government correspondence suggesting that Shvidler’s inclusion on the sanctions list in 2022 was driven by political necessity.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov