The UK has sanctioned 18 Russian spies and hackers, accusing them of running a campaign to "destabilise Europe" through cyber attacks and disinformation operations. The sanctions target officers from the GRU, Russia's military intelligence unit, who are alleged to have carried out attacks across the UK, France, Germany and the United States.
Among those sanctioned are five men involved in a cyber attack on Yulia Skripal in 2013, years before Russian agents attempted to murder her and her father Sergei Skripal with Novichok in Salisbury. The GRU's Unit 26165 targeted her emails with malware known as X-Agent, according to the Foreign Office.
Skripal attack connections revealed
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the sanctions send a clear message to Moscow. "GRU spies are running a campaign to destabilise Europe, undermine Ukraine's sovereignty and threaten the safety of British citizens," he stated.
The sanctioned individuals include Lieutenant-Colonel Sergey Morgachev, who oversaw development of the X-Agent malware, and Aleksey Lukashev and Ivan Yermakov, who carried out the attack on Ms Skripal's emails. The Foreign Office accused Unit 26165 of attempting to disrupt investigations into the attempted murder of the Skripals.
Ukraine operations targeted civilians
The same GRU unit is alleged to have conducted operations in Ukraine, including reconnaissance that facilitated the 2022 attack on the Mariupol Theatre. The strike killed hundreds of civilians, including children, according to Ukrainian authorities.
Also sanctioned are Aleksey Morenets and Yevgeney Serebriakov, accused of carrying out "close access operations" against the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague. Several of the men are already wanted by the FBI in connection with Russian interference in the 2016 US election.
Oil price cap tightened
Separately, the UK joined the EU in lowering the price cap on Russian oil from 60 US dollars per barrel to 47.60 dollars from September 2. Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the move was aimed at "exploiting" President Vladimir Putin's "biggest vulnerability".
Energy revenues account for around 30 per cent of the Russian state's income, making them a key source of funding for the Kremlin's war in Ukraine. Ms Reeves, attending a G20 finance ministers meeting in South Africa, said allies were "turning the screw on the Kremlin's war chest".
Pressure for peace talks
Mr Lammy added that the UK would not "stand by" while Mr Putin "continues to stall on serious peace talks". The Foreign Secretary emphasised that the Kremlin "should be in no doubt" that Britain sees what Russia is trying to do "in the shadows" and will not tolerate it.
The sanctions also target three men linked to Moscow's efforts to spread disinformation in West Africa. Some of the sanctioned individuals are accused of targeting anti-doping organisations and sporting bodies around the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
