The United Kingdom announced a new package of sanctions against Russia on Thursday, covering more than 50 individuals and entities as part of a coordinated Western effort to curb Russia’s economy.
The European Union approved its own package of sweeping sanctions on Wednesday, banning nearly 200 entities and individuals accused of helping Moscow with weapons purchases.
The UK sanctioned companies linked to Russia’s munitions industry, including what it said was the largest, the Sverdlov State Owned Enterprise, and also targeted revenue sources in the metals, diamonds and energy sectors.
The sanctions affected a Turkish company that allegedly supplied electronics to Russia, as well as three electronics manufacturing companies in China and managers of the Russian diamond mining company Alrosa. Executives of copper producer UMMC have also been added to the list.
The UK government stated that it was preparing to step up its powers to combat “malign Russian shipping activity and individual ‘shadow fleet’ vessels used by Russia to soften the blow of oil-related sanctions.”
This week, the United Kingdom also imposed sanctions on six people in charge of the Arctic penal colony where Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died.
