The United Kingdom has imposed sanctions against 38 individuals and entities supporting Russia in the war against Ukraine. Among the targeted entities are payment platforms and cryptocurrency exchanges, two of which are allegedly linked to the A7 network, led by fugitive oligarch Ilan Șor, which helps Moscow evade international restrictive measures.
Three cryptocurrency exchanges and two payment platforms are targeted, according to IPN. Three of them have links with Kyrgyzstan, and two have processed transactions for A7, a network that claims to have traded over 90 billion dollars last year, equivalent to about half of Russia’s annual military expenditures.
The financial restrictions imposed by the United Kingdom also include two Russian oil companies. The London government asserts that its sanctions now cover over 90% of Russia’s oil production capacity.
The list has included another 12 oil tankers from Moscow’s shadow fleet, which raises the total number of vessels sanctioned by the United Kingdom to over 600.
Another 17 individuals and entities included in the new list supply the Russian military industry with essential goods for war, such as electronic components and materials for the production of ballistic missiles and drones, conveyed the authorities from the United Kingdom.
The USA has recently designated the A7 network as a significant transnational criminal organization, accusing it of facilitating the evasion of sanctions by Russia and Iran.