UK slaps more sanctions on Russian, Belarus entities

LONDON: Britain on Thursday slapped sanctions on 59 more Russians and entities and six Belarus entities in retaliation to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Targets of the latest asset freeze include Russian diamond giant Alrosa and shadowy mercenary group Wagner, as well as Polina Kovaleva — the stepdaughter of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov — and Sberbank chief executive Guerman Gref.

“Sixty-five entries have been added to the Russia and Belarus financial sanction regimes and are now subject to an asset freeze,” read a statement from the Treasury.

The news comes ahead of an emergency NATO summit in Brussels, where Prime Minister Boris Johnson will commit to a new package to help Ukraine’s fight against Russian forces.