The UK has published a list of new sanctions that it will impose on Russia over its start of a special operation in Donbass to defend the Donetsk and Lugansk People's republics (DPR and LPR). The government added 11 new sanctions listings and slapped over 100 individuals, entities and their subsidiaries with economic restrictions.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that the UK will slap Russia airline Aeroflot, VTB bank and state company Rostec with sanctions. Their assets in the UK will be frozen.
The UK's head of the government also announced broader sanctions against Russia: the export of high-tech and dual-use products to Russia will be banned, all major Russian companies will be prohibited from raising finance on the British markets and limits will be imposed on deposits for Russian citizens in UK banks. Johnson added that the UK will push Russia out of the global economy.
The sanctions will also be imposed against Russia's ally, Belarus, which denies reports of taking part in the military operation, Johnson stated.
At the same time, the British prime minister said that so far London will not try to cut Russia off from the SWIFT banking system. However, he hinted that the measure is still on the table. Earlier, US media reported that EU countries were discussing the move as a potential nuclear option over Russia's decision to launch the operation in Donbass.
The operation was ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin early in the morning on 24 February after the Donetsk and Lugansk People's republics (DPR and LPR) asked for protection against Ukraine's attacks. Putin stressed that Russia was left with no alternative after Donbass being shelled for more than a week and the Minsk agreements being abandoned.
Putin said the goal of the special operation was to protect the Donbass republics after the "demilitarisation and denazification" of Ukraine. The Russian Defence Ministry repeatedly stressed that armed forces won't attack any cities or civilian infrastructure and will be only aim at the Ukrainian military's targets.
