Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Ukraine conflict: UK sanctions Belarus for role in Russian invasion

Ukraine conflict: UK sanctions Belarus for role in Russian invasion

The UK has targeted Belarusian army chiefs as part of its first wave of sanctions against Belarus for its role in Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Four defence officials and two military enterprises are included in the package.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko had aided and abetted Russia's invasion.

Mr Lukashenko has hosted Russian forces and allowed them to use Belarus as a staging ground.

A close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Mr Lukashenko's administration has become increasingly reliant on Russia for economic, political and military support in recent years.

Mr Putin backed Mr Lukashenko after he claimed a disputed election victory in 2020, sparking mass protests that almost ousted him from power.

In January this year, Belarus hosted large joint military drills with Russia as western leaders issued increasingly grave warnings of a possible attack on Ukraine.

The exercises were extended and then Belarus announced that the Russian troops would remain in the country, citing "the aggravation of the situation" in eastern Ukraine.

But on Monday, Mr Lukashenko said Belarus had no plans to join Russia's military operation in Ukraine, according to state news agency Belta.

Mr Lukashenko denied Ukraine's allegations that Russian troops were attacking from Belarus's territory, Belta's report said.

Announcing sanctions on Tuesday, the UK government accused Belarus of "facilitating the invasion from within its borders".

Those sanctioned include:

*  Belarus's deputy defence minister, Major General Victor Gulevich, who is "responsible for directing the actions of the Belarusian armed forces"

*  Major General Andrei Burdyko, a logistics chief; Major General Sergei Simonenko, an arms chief; and Major General Andrey Zhuk, Belarus's deputy minister of defence

*  Also sanctioned are JSC Integral, a military semi-conductor manufacturer, and JSC 558 Aircraft Repair Plant, which provides maintenance and servicing to military aircraft at an air base from which Russian aircraft have operated

Ms Truss said Belarus "will be made to feel the economic consequences for its support for Putin".

"We are inflicting economic pain on Putin and those closest to him. We will not rest until Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity is restored."

The UK says it has already imposed sanctions on more than 100 people and organisations in response to the "fraudulent elections" and "human rights violations" in Belarus.

Suggesting further sanctions could be imposed on Belarus over the Ukraine invasion, the foreign secretary said "nothing - and no one - is off the table".

Belarusian and Russian forces took part in joint military exercises in Belarus ahead of the invasion of Ukraine


Tuesday's Belarus sanctions came as MPs approved new measures against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

The package includes a full asset freeze for all Russian banks, as well as new powers to limit them from clearing payments in sterling.

A ban has also been enacted on a range of exports critical to the maintenance and development of Russia's military and strategic interests.

It is being applied in close alignment with the US, European Union and other partners to collectively cut off much of Russia's high-tech imports.

The measures were announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who told the House of Commons last week they were "the largest and most severe package of economic sanctions that Russia has ever seen".

Described as economic war, they are designed to isolate Russia and plunge the country into a recession.

To apply more pressure on Russia, Labour and Conservative MPs have called on the UK government to strengthen the sanctions regime.

Labour shadow foreign minister Stephen Doughty urged the government to "go even faster and further", warning in some cases the sanctions have been "off the pace" compared with the UK's allies.

Conservative former cabinet minister David Davis said action was needed against the "140 or so oligarchs" identified as having "direct links" with President Putin.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
×