UK summons Russian ambassador as Moscow imposes new sanctions

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In response to President Vladimir Putin’s “illegal” annexation of parts of Ukraine, the UK has stepped up sanctions against Russia and taken new measures targeting vulnerable sectors of the economy.

The Russian ambassador in London, Andrei Kellin, was summoned to the Foreign Office and told “in the strongest possible terms” of Britain’s opposition to the Kremlin’s actions.

Earlier, Prime Minister Liz Truss condemned the move by the Russian leader, saying Britain would never accept his claims to the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia regions, calling them “violations of international law”. said to be equivalent.

Under the new sanctions, Russia will lose access to UK services, including IT consultancy, architectural and engineering services, and trade legal advisory services for certain commercial activities.

The UK has also banned the export of nearly 700 goods vital to Russia’s industrial and technological sectors, and Central Bank of Russia Governor Elvira Nabiullina joins a list of executives subject to travel bans and asset freezes. .

Announcing the move, Foreign Secretary James Cleverley said:

“That is why we are working with our international partners to increase economic pressure through new targeted service bans.

“What happened in Ukraine is important to all of us and the UK will do everything possible to support the fight for freedom.”

Epoch Times photo
British Foreign Secretary James Cleverley leaves 10 Downing Street in central London on September 7, 2022. (Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images)

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Russia relies heavily on Western countries for legal services, with 85% of legal services imported from G7 countries, with the UK accounting for 59%.

Denying access to Russian companies hinders their ability to operate internationally.

With more than 170,000 IT specialists estimated to have fled Russia since the invasion of Ukraine, the ban on IT consultancies is expected to further undermine Russia’s ability to keep up with technological developments.

In a statement, Truss said:

“Britain will never ignore the sovereignty of these peoples and will never accept the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia as anything other than Ukrainian territory.

“Putin will not be allowed to change borders by force. I assure you that he will lose this illegal war.”

The latest move by Russia, now under pressure after Ukraine has achieved a string of successes on the battlefield, has sparked global condemnation and was rejected by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Since becoming prime minister, Truss has pledged to follow Boris Johnson’s lead and provide Ukraine with as much support as it needs.

In a phone call with Zelensky this week, Britain said it would not accept annexation.

PA media

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