The United Kingdom has unveiled 70 new sanctions against Russia, targeting its so-called “shadow fleet,” military supply networks and financial channels used to evade existing restrictions, as world leaders gather for the G7 summit in France.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the measures on Tuesday during a special G7 session focused on Ukraine, saying the move is aimed at increasing pressure on Moscow to end its war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is attending the summit in the French resort town of Evian-les-Bains, where leaders are seeking ways to strengthen Kyiv’s position after more than four years of conflict.
“Working with our G7 allies, we will continue to increase the pressure on Putin and his circle of collaborators until Russia’s war machine is brought to a halt and peace returns to our continent,” Starmer said.
The latest sanctions come a day after Russia launched a wave of missile and drone attacks across Ukraine, killing at least 11 people and damaging a historic Orthodox monastery in Kyiv.
In a joint statement, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Prime Minister’s Office said the measures target Russia’s military procurement chains, illicit financial networks and its ageing “shadow fleet” used to transport oil and other goods under foreign flags.
The sanctions specifically affect more than 20 oil tankers linked to Russia’s energy exports.
Britain also became the first G7 nation to sanction several liquefied natural gas vessels recently acquired by Russia to service its already sanctioned Arctic LNG project.
According to Downing Street, the new restrictions are designed to “choke Russia’s war effort across multiple fronts” and further limit Moscow’s ability to finance its military operations.
Starmer is expected to urge fellow G7 leaders to go further in ensuring that Ukraine secures what he described as a “just and lasting peace.”
Alongside the sanctions, Britain announced a new agreement to supply enriched uranium for Ukraine’s nuclear power stations.
The deal, backed by £210 million ($282 million) in export finance, will allow UK-based nuclear fuel company Urenco to provide enriched uranium to Ukraine’s state nuclear operator, Energoatom.
British officials said the arrangement is expected to help power Ukraine’s nuclear facilities for the next two years.
The announcement comes at a politically sensitive moment for Starmer, who is facing pressure at home following the resignation of his defence minister last week amid a dispute over military spending.
As G7 leaders continue discussions in France, Ukraine remains at the centre of efforts by Western allies to tighten economic pressure on Moscow while seeking a path toward ending the war.
