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Gennady Nikolayevich Timchenko (left) and Boris Romanovich Rotenberg have been sanctioned by Britain
Photo: SERGEI KARPUKHIN;
STRINGER / AFP
Britain has imposed sanctions on five banks and three individuals in response to Russia's recognition of the independence of the self-proclaimed People's Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk.
Their assets in the UK will be frozen and travel to the UK will be banned, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in the British House of Commons.
This is only the first tranche of sanctions.
The sanctioned persons are Gennady Timchenko and the brothers Boris and Igor Rotenberg.
All three are considered close confidants of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The British Foreign Office has published the list and justifications for the sanctions on its website:
Gennady Timchenko
is the main shareholder of Bank Rossiya, which in turn is a main shareholder of the National Media Group, "which supports the Russian policy to destabilize Ukraine," the reason for the sanctions says.
Boris Rotenberg
is a major shareholder of SMP Bank and sits on its board of directors.
"Rotenberg is or was therefore involved in obtaining an advantage from the Russian government or in supporting the Russian government," the statement reads.
The bank is a Russian government-related company that receives a financial or other material benefit from the Russian government and conducts business in the financial sector that is of strategic importance to the Russian government.
Igor Rotenberg
is Chairman of the Board of Directors of National Telematic Systems (NTS).
"NTS operates in the transport sector, which is of strategic importance to the Russian government, so Igor Rotenberg, through his role as Chairman of the Board of Directors of NTS, favors or supports the Russian government," writes the State Department.
In addition to individuals, sanctions were also imposed on Bank Rossiya, Black Sea Bank, Joint Stock Company Genbank, IS Bank and Public Joint Stock Company Promsvyazbank.
"We must prepare ourselves for the next steps of Putin's plan"
By recognizing the two breakaway Ukrainian regions, Putin "shamelessly broke" the Minsk peace process, Johnson said.
Sending troops is tantamount to a renewed invasion of the neighboring country.
The attempts to reach a peaceful solution through diplomatic channels may have been in vain, the prime minister continued, warning: "We have to prepare for the next steps in Putin's plan."
Nevertheless, a diplomatic solution will be worked out together with the allies up to the last moment.
Johnson praised Chancellor Olaf Scholz's (SPD) decision to halt the certification of Nord Stream 2.
svs/Reuters/dpa
