On Friday (August 18), Russia announced the imposition of sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor, who had sought the arrest of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Additionally, sanctions were declared against British ministers who have vehemently opposed Russia’s offensive actions in Ukraine.
The Russian Foreign Ministry criticized London for providing “steadfast military support” to Kyiv and for engaging in the “aggressive implementation… of a hostile anti-Russian policy.” Russia’s decision comes nearly a year and a half after the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine.
Karim Khan, the ICC’s British prosecutor, issued an arrest warrant for Putin in March, accusing him of unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children. It’s noteworthy that Russia is not a member of the ICC and has dismissed the warrant against Putin as “null and void.” In May, despite Russia placing Khan on a wanted list in response to the warrant, the ICC maintained its resolute stance.
Russia specified that it had included 54 individuals on its sanctions list, primarily targeting British citizens. This list encompasses figures such as sports minister Lucy Fraser, known for her active advocacy of international sporting isolation for Russia, and British Deputy Defence Minister Annabel Goldie, who is responsible for facilitating arms delivery to Ukraine, according to the statement.
Even journalists were not spared from these sanctions, with representatives from the BBC, the Guardian, and the Daily Telegraph also being targeted. Moscow accused these journalists of being “involved” in disseminating “false information” about Russia and assisting in “supporting information and propaganda activities” aligned with Kyiv.
The conflict dates back to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. While Russia initially achieved some successes, Ukrainian counterattacks forced Russian troops to retreat from several regions.
Western nations, led by the United States, have provided extensive financial and military support to Ukraine, significantly bolstering its capabilities. The United Kingdom has been a major contributor to this assistance.
Meanwhile, Belarus, an ally of Russia, issued a stark warning of a potential nuclear strike if NATO allies engaged in “aggression” at its borders. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko directed this threat towards NATO members Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia. These countries have raised concerns about Belarus offering shelter to Wagner Group troops.
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