UK sanctions Russia over abducted Ukrainian children and interference in Armenia's elections
The United Kingdom announced a new package of sanctions against Russia on 11 May over the abduction of Ukrainian children and recent attempts to interfere in upcoming elections in Armenia.
Describing it as "some of the toughest action to date", the UK government said the package is aimed at countering Russia's hostile activities. The new sanctions target 85 individuals and organisations.
The measures specifically target 49 people linked to 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," the press release stressed.
The UK also said SDA has attempted to establish pro-Russian organisations in Armenia and influence a change of government in favour of pro-Moscow figures.
In addition, the UK imposed sanctions on the Russian Centre for Military Sports Training and Patriotic Education of Youth, known as the Warrior Centre, due to its role in "the heinous policy of Russification of Ukrainian children".
Sanctions have also been imposed on Yulia Velichko, the so-called minister for youth affairs in the "LPR" ["Luhansk People's Republic" is a self-proclaimed quasi-state formation in Luhansk Oblast – ed.], 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 organising programmes that expose them to Russian ideology".
On the same day, the Council of the European Union imposed sanctions on individuals and legal entities responsible for the abduction of Ukrainian children from temporarily occupied territories.
The sanctions have been announced at a high-level meeting co-chaired by the EU, Ukraine and Canada that aims to plan specific steps to bring children abducted by Russia back to Ukraine and to hold Russia accountable.
Lithuania has pledged to allocate more than €10 million to support initiatives related to the return of children abducted by Russia, as well as psychological and medical rehabilitation, strengthening the child protection system and ensuring accountability for crimes.