Britain: Sanctions against five Russian banks and three individuals

LAST UPDATE: 15:36

Sanctions against Russian individuals and entities in the wake of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to recognize the independence of the two breakaway regions of eastern Ukraine, Donetsk and Luhansk, were announced by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on Tuesday.

The sanctions affect five Russian banks and three large fortunes, including Gennady Timchenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Today, the United Kingdom is imposing sanctions on the following five Russian banks: Rossiya, IS Bank, General Bank, Promsvyazbank and the Black Sea Bank, and imposing sanctions on three highly wealthy individuals,” Johnson told the British Parliament.

“This is the first installment, the first barrage of what we are ready to do,” he told parliament.

Referring to the sanctions against the three Russians, Johnson stressed that “Any assets held in the United Kingdom will be frozen and those interested will be barred from traveling here.”

At the same time, Johnson, speaking in the lower house of the British Parliament, said that “we must now prepare for the next possible stages of Putin’s plan”, adding that “Putin creates a pretext for a full-scale attack.”

The British Prime Minister added that it is vital that London has in “reserve” further strong sanctions against Russia in case the latter escalates its action against Ukraine.

“It’s absolutely vital that we maintain as a ‘reserve’ further strong sanctions … in view of what President (Vladimir) Putin can do next,” Johnson told parliament.

“We want to remove the possibility for Russian companies to raise capital in sterling or dollars … We want them to stop raising funds in the UK markets and we want to remove the veil that hides the ownership status in this country.”

Who are the three Russians who were sanctioned?

Gennady Nikolayevich Timchenko

The first of the three Russians to be sanctioned by the United Kingdom is Gennady Timchenko, who according to the British Foreign Office is a close ally of Putin and a major shareholder in Bank Rossiya, a major shareholder in the National Media Group that supports Russia’s policy of destabilizing Ukraine.

According to the British Foreign Office, “after the annexation of Crimea, Rossiya Bank has expanded its branches and provided insurance and investment throughout Crimea and Sevastopol, offering support for military activities as well as transport links and cards. in the world to move easily on the peninsula “.

The British Foreign Secretary added that “Rossiya Bank supported the unification of Crimea into the Russian Federation by integrating its financial system after the annexation of Crimea. Therefore, Timchenko is involved or has been involved in providing support or promoting any political which destabilizes Ukraine or undermines or threatens the territorial integrity, sovereignty or independence of Ukraine “.

Boris Romanovich Rotenberg

Boris Rothenberg, according to the British Foreign Secretary, “is a prominent Russian businessman with close personal ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. He is a major shareholder in SMP Bank and serves on its board.”

“Therefore, Rothenberg is or has been involved in obtaining benefits from or supporting the Russian government through direct or indirect ownership or control” or “is a director” or “equivalent” in SMP Bank, which is affiliated with the Russian government. an entity that derives financial or other material benefit from the Government of Russia and operates in the financial sector which is a sector of strategic importance to the Government of Russia “.

Igor Arkadyevich Rotenberg

According to the British Foreign Office, “Igor Rothenberg is a prominent Russian businessman with close family ties to President Putin. He is chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Telematics Systems (NTS).”

“NTS is active in the transport sector, which is of strategic importance to the Russian government, and therefore through its role as Chairman of the NTS Board, Rothenberg benefits or supports the Russian government.”