The United Kingdom has imposed new sanctions on 85 individuals and entities involved in the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia, as well as on employees of the Russian IT company Social Design Agency, which produces Kremlin propaganda.
The UK government said this in a press release seen by Ukrinform.
According to the statement, this latest sanction package includes 29 targets linked to Russia's systematic campaign to forcibly deport and militarize Ukrainian children, and a further 56 designations targeting those responsible for the Kremlin's information warfare.
Among those sanctioned today for their role in the heinous policy of Russification of Ukrainian children is the Center for Military Sports Training and Patriotic Education of Youth, known as the "Warrior Center." Here, Ukrainian children are subjected to military training and pro‑Kremlin ideology.
Also sanctioned is Yulia Velichko, Minister for Youth Policy in the so‑called "Luhansk People's Republic," for her role in implementing state‑led initiatives for the deportation and indoctrination of Ukrainian children, including the issuing of Russian passports to children from temporarily occupied territories and organizing programs that expose them to Russian ideology.
The statement notes that today in Brussels, UK Sanctions Minister Stephen Doughty will announce a further GBP 1.2 million of UK funding for the Verification Center and Tracing Mechanism, helping to identify and locate Ukrainian children who have been cruelly taken from their homes.
Read also: EU to impose new sanctions over Russia’s abduction of Ukrainian children
In addition, new measures target 49 individuals working for the Social Design Agency (SDA), including writers, translators and video makers responsible for deceptive Kremlin propaganda. The SDA has been tasked and funded by the Kremlin to deliver a series of interference operations designed to undermine democracy and weaken support for Ukraine.
On May 5, the United Kingdom introduced new sanctions against individuals and entities recruiting migrants for Russia's war against Ukraine and supplying components for drones.