London: Britain on Wednesday said it would cut Russia’s access to UK-based services including accountancy as well as sanction pro-Kremlin news outlets and their journalists reporting Moscow’s invasion from within Ukraine, according to AFP
“By restricting Russia’s access to our world-class management consultants, accountants and PR firms, we’re ratcheting up economic pressure on the Kremlin to change course,” Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said in a statement.
The government in London said UK businesses supply 10 percent of Russia’s imports in the services sector and that the UK has now sanctioned over 1,600 individuals and entities.
Russia has responded with tit-for-tat sanctions.
“Cutting Russia’s access to British services will put more pressure on the Kremlin and ultimately help ensure (Russian President Vladimir) Putin fails in Ukraine,” Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said.
Truss also announced 63 sanctions including asset freezes and travel bans affecting media organizations responsible for what she called “the Kremlin’s shadowy troll factory tactics.”
New legislation will oblige social media companies, Internet service providers and app stores to block content from Kremlin-backed news organizations RT and Sputnik, whose television broadcasts were already banned.
Individual travel bans will be applied to “significant” people working for state-owned outlet Channel One and other “strategic propaganda organizations,” as well as war correspondents embedded with Russian forces in Ukraine.
“Channel One is known for spreading disinformation in Russia, justifying Putin’s illegal invasion as a ‘Special Military Operation’,” the statement said.
“The UK will continue to work closely with social media platforms and allies to uncover, expose, and counter the Kremlin’s disinformation operation.”