188体育

The Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly has today (17 July) announced 14 new sanctions in response to Russia鈥檚 attempts to destroy Ukrainian national identity, including 11 against those involved in the forced deportation of Ukrainian children.

Today鈥檚 announcement comes ahead of the Foreign Secretary鈥檚 speech at the UN Security Council (UNSC), where he will highlight the far-reaching implications of Russia鈥檚 war, call on Russia to renew the Black Sea Grain Initiative, and outline the need for a just, lasting peace in Ukraine.

Among the designations announced today are Russian officials Ksenia Mishonova, Commissioner for Children鈥檚 Rights in the Moscow Region, and Sergey Kravtsov, Minister of Education of Russia.

These individuals have played an insidious role in Russia鈥檚 calculated programme of deportation, designed to erase Ukrainian cultural and national identity. Over 19,000 Ukrainian children have been forcibly deported to Russia or temporarily Russian controlled territory by Russian authorities.

Many deported children are relocated to a network of re-education camps in illegally annexed Crimea and mainland Russia, where they are exposed to Russia-centric academic, cultural, patriotic, and military education.

This latest package of designations follows the UK鈥檚 sanctioning of Russian Children鈥檚 Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova in June 2022 for her alleged involvement in the forced transfer and adoption of Ukrainian children.

Also sanctioned today is Russian propagandist, Timofey Sergeitsev, who is responsible for spreading abhorrent propaganda designed to incite violence and hatred towards Ukraine and its people.

Olga Lyubimova, the Russian Culture Minister, is additionally targeted for using her position to support the Russian state鈥檚 damaging anti-Ukrainian policies.

Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, said:

In his chilling programme of forced child deportation, and the hate-filled propaganda spewed by his lackeys, we see Putin鈥檚 true intention 鈥� to wipe Ukraine from the map.

Today鈥檚 sanctions hold those who prop up Putin鈥檚 regime to account, including those who would see Ukraine destroyed, its national identity dissolved, and its future erased.

The UK and international partners have implemented the most severe package of sanctions ever imposed on a major economy.

Over 1,600 individuals and entities have been sanctioned since the start of the invasion, including 29 banks with global assets worth 拢1 trillion, over 130 oligarchs with a combined net worth of over 拢145 billion, and over 拢20 billion worth of UK-Russia trade.

Later today, in New York, the Foreign Secretary will use his speech during a UK-chaired session of the UNSC to call for a just, lasting peace in Ukraine and highlight Russia鈥檚 barbaric聽forced deportation of Ukrainian children.

He is expected to say:

Ukraine wants peace. We want peace. The whole world wants peace.

Peace will bring home Ukraine鈥檚 lost children 鈥� and feed the hungry of the world.

The devastating effects of Putin鈥檚 aggression can be felt in every corner of the globe. Vital grain supplies from Ukraine will be cut off and millions will face exacerbated food insecurity if Russia does not agree to a renewal of the Black Sea Grain Initiative today.