LONDON (Reuters) – Britain published sanctions against five banks and three individuals on Tuesday, part of a package of measures in response to Russia’s recognition of two breakaway regions of eastern Ukraine as independent.
Here is a list of the individuals sanctioned and extracts of the published reasons provided by Britain’s foreign office:
Gennady Timchenko
Reason given: “Timchenko is a major shareholder in Bank Rossiya. Bank Rossiya is a key stakeholder in the National Media Group which supports Russian policy which is destabilising Ukraine.”
Britain said Bank Rossiya expanded in Crimea after Russia’s 2014 annexation and supported Russia’s consolidation of the peninsular.
“Timchenko therefore is or has been involved in engaging in, providing support for, or promoting any policy or action which destabilises Ukraine or undermines or threatens the territorial integrity, sovereignty or independence of Ukraine.”
Britain said Timchenko was “one of the most powerful people in Russia” and had close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Britain said he was a citizen of Russia, Finland and Armenia and had stakes in Novatek and Sibur Holding.
He was sanctioned by the United States in 2014.
Boris Rotenberg
Reason given: Boris Rotenberg “is a prominent Russian businessman with close personal ties to Russian President, Vladimir Putin. Rotenberg is a major shareholder of SMP Bank and sits on its Board of Directors.”
Rotenberg is co-owner of SGM, the largest construction company for gas pipelines and electrical power supply lines in Russia, Britain said.
“The Rotenberg brothers, have known Putin since they were boys growing up in St Petersburg,” Britain said.
“A former professional judo trainer, he was the Russian President’s former sparring partner. Boris is also a member of the St. Petersburg Connection, a powerful energy lobby under the leadership of Putin.”
He was sanctioned by the United States in 2014
Igor Rotenberg
Reason given: “Igor Rotenberg is a prominent Russian businessmen with close familial ties to President Putin. Rotenberg is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of National Telematic Systems (NTS).”
The eldest son of Arkady Rotenberg, the Russian billionaire businessman.
“Igor now controls drilling company Gazprom Bureniye,” Britain said.
“The Rotenbergs are closely associated with Vladimir Putin.”
He was sanctioned by the United States in 2018.
Here is a list of the entities sanctioned:
Bank Rossiya
Reason given: Britain said the bank is owned by billionaires with direct links to President Putin and has opened branches in Crimea after Russia annexed the region from Ukraine in 2014.
The bank “has been involved in providing financial services, or making available funds, economic resources, goods or technology and engaging in, providing support for, or promoting any policy or action that could contribute to destabilising Ukraine or undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty or independence of Ukraine.”
Black Sea Bank for Development and Reconstruction
Reason given: “A Crimean bank that was created immediately after the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014. It has capitalised on the sector’s fear of Western sanctions and the lack of banks in Crimea.”
Joint Stock Company Genbank
Reason given: “Genbank is a Russian financial institution that operates extensively in the occupied territory of Crimea. By providing banking and other financial services in the annexed territory of Crimea it contributes to undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.”
IS Bank
Reason given: Britain said the bank has operated across Crimea after Ukrainian banks were stopped from operating there.
“It has been providing financial services, thereby facilitating the integration of Crimea into the Russian Federation through the financial system.”
Public Joint Stock Company Promsvyazbank
Reason given: Britain said the state-owned bank provides funding to Russia’s military.
“In its role as a pivotal bank for the Russian military-industrial complex, including servicing nearly 70% of the state contracts signed by the Defence Ministry as a government customer, Promsvyazbank provides financial services or makes available funds and economic resources that could contribute to destabilising Ukraine.”
The government also said it intended to:
– extend the territorial sanctions imposed on Crimea to non-government controlled territory in the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk.
– sanction Russian lawmakers who voted to recognise the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk.
(Reporting by Andrew MacAskill and Muvija M, editing by William James, Alistair Smout and Michael Holden)
