Russian officials sanctioned after ‘barbaric’ treatment of Ukrainian children

The Foreign Office has announced a fresh wave of sanctions against Vladimir Putin’s allies, including on officials involved with the “barbaric treatment of children in Ukraine”.

Each individual has been dealt an asset freeze preventing them from dealing with British banks or businesses, and a ban on flying to the UK.

Those sanctioned include Russian Children’s Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova, who has been accused of enabling 2,000 vulnerable children to be violently taken from the Donbas region for adoption in Russia.

The measures also apply to the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, who supports Putin’s war, and Sergey Savostyanov, the deputy of the Moscow city Duma.

Speaking in the Commons on Thursday, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Patriarch Kirill has “repeatedly abused his position to justify the war”.

Alexey Isaykin, president and board member of the Volga-Dnepr Group, a Russian transport company which has been tasked by Putin to create air bridges carrying critical goods, has also been sanctioned.

Four Colonels from the 64th Separate Motorised Rifle Brigade, a unit known to have killed, raped and tortured civilians in Bucha, are included in the sanctions list.

So too are members of the so-called ‘Salvation Committee for Peace and Order’ – an organisation collaborating with the Russian army to support the occupation of the Kherson Oblast.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the Government will continue to level sanctions on supporters of the war until Ukraine “succeeds”.

She said: “Today we are targeting the enablers and perpetrators of Putin’s war who have brought untold suffering to Ukraine, including the forced transfer and adoption of children.

“We will not tire of defending freedom and democracy, and keeping up the pressure on Putin, until Ukraine succeeds.”

Beyond Ukraine, the measures have also been imposed on Russians supplying aircraft parts to the Myanmar Armed Forces.

The FCDO has said this comes after Amnesty International exposed the role of Russian arms in Myanmar, and the new sanctions will limit the country’s military Junta, who are heavily reliant on Russian support.