Number 10 ‘prioritising’ sanctions on Russian banks over Kremlin-linked oligarchs March 3, 2022 The UK is prioritising sanctions on Russian financial services firms instead of oligarchs because it will have a larger effect on stopping the “Russian war machine”, according to Number 10. Boris Johnson has been criticised in the past few days for not levelling more sanctions against Kremlin-linked oligarchs, particularly Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, as the [...]
Putin facing Russian military rebellion over Ukraine invasion, says spy chief March 31, 2022 Vladimir Putin is facing a growing military rebellion over his invasion of Ukraine and is being lied to by his advisers about the faltering war, according to a UK spy chief. Sir Jeremy Fleming, the director of Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), said this morning that the Russian President had “massively misjudged” the strength of his army [...]
Russian athletes banned from Winter Paralympics after rivals threaten boycott March 3, 2022 Athletes from Russia and Belarus have been banned from the Beijing Winter Paralympics after other nations, including Britain, threatened a boycott. The move represents a swift U-turn from International Olympic Committee, which had on Wednesday said they could compete as neutrals when the Games begin on Friday. It is the latest sporting sanction to hit [...]
Grab ’em by the Porsche: EU plans to confiscate and sell Russian oligarchs’ cars, villas and other assets May 25, 2022 The EU’s executive body, the European Commision, is planning to roll out proposals to allow EU countries to confiscate assets belonging to Russian oligarchs, and then to sell them off. Assets that are currently frozen by authorities across EU member states should be sold, rather than merely frozen, two EU officials told the publication Politico. [...]
Sanctions will force consultancies to drop Russian clients, consultancy trade body says March 2, 2022 The trade body for management consultancies has said the UK government’s sanctions on Russia and Belarus will “inevitably” mean some consultancies will be forced to cut links with some of their clients. In a statement, Tamzen Isacsson, Chief Executive of the Management Consultancies Association (MCA), said: “Our firms are strictly abiding by the updated changes [...]
Russian promise to ‘drastically reduce hostilities’ may be bid to ‘deceive people and deflect attention’ March 30, 2022 Ukraine and the United States have cast major doubt on Russia’s reported promise to “drastically reduce hostilities”, with and secretary of state Antony Blinken warning it could be a bid to “deceive people and deflect attention”. Following “constructive” ceasefire negotiations held in Turkey between officials from the two warring sides, it has been reported that [...]
UK becomes first country to ban Russian ships from accessing ports March 1, 2022 The UK has become the first country to pass a law banning all Russian ships from docking at its ports, transport secretary Grant Shapps announced this morning. “At London’s Foreign Office where we’ve just become the first nation to pass a law involving a total BAN of ALL ships with ANY Russian connection whatsoever from [...]
Law Society says it supports law firms working on behalf of Russian oligarchs March 1, 2022 The Law Society of England and Wales has come out in support of law firms acting on behalf of Russian oligarchs, as City of London law firms face pressure to cut ties with Russia, amid claims they are working on behalf of Vladimir Putin’s allies to block the UK government’s sanctions regime. The comments come [...]
UK Government seizes Russian-owned £38m super yacht in Canary Wharf March 29, 2022 The UK seized a £38m Russian-owned super yacht in Canary Wharf, transport secretary Grant Shapps said today. Officers from the National Crime Agency issued a detention order after they uncovered the owner’s identity despite it being “deliberately well hidden.” Named Phi, the vessel was built in the Netherlands and carried a Maltese flag while the [...]
Shares in Russian retailer Fix Price tumble after sanctions hit VTB March 1, 2022 Shares in London-listed Russian retailer plunged yesterday after it suspended a planned share buyback programme due to sanctions slapped on the firm’s bank, the state-owned Russian lender VTB Capital.