Foreign Secretary Announces New Sanctions
In a significant move, Russian officials involved in the forced deportation of Ukrainian children and the spreading of hate-inciting propaganda will now face asset freezes and travel bans. This announcement comes as the United Kingdom prioritizes its support for Ukraine and its pursuit of peace during its month-long presidency of the UN Security Council.
During a meeting of the UN Security Council, the UK’s Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, will stand alongside Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, to call for a just and lasting peace in the country.
New Sanctions Imposed on Those Destroying Ukrainian National Identity
Designations Target Russian Officials and Propagandists
Today, the Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, unveiled 14 new sanctions in response to Russia’s attempts to destroy Ukrainian national identity. These sanctions include 11 against individuals involved in the forced deportation of Ukrainian children.
The announcement precedes the Foreign Secretary’s speech at the UN Security Council, where he will underscore the far-reaching implications of Russia’s war, urge Russia to renew the Black Sea Grain Initiative and emphasize the necessity of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
Among the designated individuals are Russian officials Ksenia Mishonova, Commissioner for Children’s Rights in the Moscow Region, and Sergey Kravtsov, Minister of Education of Russia. These individuals have played a troubling role in Russia’s calculated program of deportation, which aims to erase Ukrainian cultural and national identity. To date, over 19,000 Ukrainian children have been forcibly deported to Russia or temporarily controlled territories.
The deported children are often relocated to re-education camps in illegally annexed Crimea and mainland Russia, where they are subjected to Russia-centric academic, cultural, patriotic, and military education.
Continued Accountability and Condemnation
More Sanctions Imposed on Propagandists and Russian Culture Minister
This latest set of designations follows the UK’s previous sanctioning of Russian Children’s Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova in June 2022 for her alleged involvement in the forced transfer and adoption of Ukrainian children.
Additionally, two Russian propagandists responsible for spreading abhorrent propaganda aimed at inciting violence and hatred towards Ukraine and its people are now sanctioned. Among them is Anton Krasovsky, a former Russia Today presenter, who infamously stated on live television that Ukrainian children should be drowned and burned.
Olga Lyubimova, the Russian Culture Minister, is also targeted for her support of the Russian state’s harmful anti-Ukrainian policies.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly expressed the gravity of the situation, stating that Putin’s true intention is to eradicate Ukraine from the map. These sanctions serve as a means of holding accountable those who bolster Putin’s regime and those who wish to see Ukraine destroyed, its national identity dissolved, and its future erased.
Unyielding International Response
Foreign Secretary Urges for Peace and Food Security
The UK, along with its international partners, has implemented the most severe package of sanctions ever imposed on a major economy. Over 1,600 individuals and entities, including 29 banks with global assets worth £1 trillion, over 130 oligarchs with a combined net worth of over £145 billion, and over £20 billion worth of UK-Russia trade, have been sanctioned since the start of the invasion.
Later today, during a UK-chaired session of the UNSC in New York, the Foreign Secretary will address the urgent need for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. He will also draw attention to Russia’s barbaric forced deportation of Ukrainian children. His speech will emphasize that peace will not only bring back Ukraine’s lost children but also contribute to alleviating global hunger.
In his address, the Foreign Secretary is expected to affirm that Ukraine, the UK, and the entire world desire peace. He will stress that the devastating effects of Putin’s aggression are felt worldwide, as vital grain supplies from Ukraine will be severed, leading to exacerbated food insecurity for millions, unless Russia agrees to renew the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
Sources: THX News, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office & The Rt Hon James Cleverly MP.
