UK sanctions Russian ‘propagandists’
The UK government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (‘FCDO’) has imposed ‘14 new sanctions’ on ‘Russian propagandists and state media who spread lies and deceit about Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.’
According to the FCDO, ‘This includes Sergey Brilev, famous TV anchor on Russia state-owned media Rossiya and propagandist for Putin. Having previously lived in the UK, Brilev will no longer be able to access any of his UK assets or continue business dealings.’
It said it was also ‘directly sanctioning state media organisations, targeting the Kremlin funded TV-Novosti who own RT, formerly Russia Today, and Rossiya Segodnya who control news agency Sputnik,’ and that, ‘following Ofcom’s decision to revoke RT’s broadcasting licence [as previously reported by WorldECR] these sanctions will ensure RT will not be able to find its way back on UK televisions, and will prevent companies and individuals operating in the UK from doing business with Russian state propaganda vehicles RT and Sputnik, and key figures in those organisations.’
It added that other ‘propagandists’ being sanctioned include: ‘Aleksandr Zharov, Chief Executive Officer of Gazprom-Media and former Head of the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor); Alexey Nikolov, Managing Director of RT, and Anton Anisimov, Head of Sputnik International Broadcasting,’ and that ‘as well as targeting Putin’s propaganda machine, the government is also sanctioning prominent Russian Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev,’ whom, it says, is ‘dubbed “the butcher of Mariupol” and is ‘the Chief of the National Defence Command and Control Centre, where all Russian military operations are planned and controlled worldwide.’
The FCDO statement included a quote from UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who said, ‘Putin’s war on Ukraine is based on a torrent of lies. Britain has helped lead the world in exposing Kremlin disinformation, and this latest batch of sanctions hits the shameless propagandists who push out Putin’s fake news and narratives. We will keep on going with more sanctions to ramp up the pressure on Russia and ensure Putin loses in Ukraine. Nothing and no one is off the table.’
The government added that the UK had ‘fast-tracked sanctions against another 7 individuals connected to the Strategic Culture Foundation – who were recently sanctioned by Australia for their role in spreading disinformation. The UK is operating closely with allies to target Russia’s oligarchs, banks and businesses.’
Sanctioned oligarchs had UK ‘golden ticket’
On 28 March, in answer to a question posed in the House of Commons, government minister Baroness Williams of Trafford told Parliament that eight Russian nationals ‘subject to UK sanctions in connection to the invasion of Ukraine’ had been identified as ‘holding or having held leave as a Tier 1 (investor) migrant or as a Tier 1 (investor) migrant dependent.’
Also known as the UK Investment Visa or ‘Golden Visa’, until it was closed earlier this year, under the terms of the Tier 1 investor migrant scheme individuals who were able to make a substantial investment in the UK, had access to at least £2m, were permitted to work, study and engage in business activities in the UK, could be accompanied or joined by their dependants, and typically after five years, enjoy settled status.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-uk-sanctions-list
