UK Imposes Sanctions on Russian Military Intelligence Officers Involved in Mariupol Theatre Bombing and Skripal Poisoning

The UK has sanctioned 18 Russian military intelligence officers and three units for their alleged involvement in a 2022 bomb attack on a theatre in Mariupol, Ukraine that killed hundreds of civilians. The UK also accused them of targeting the family of a former Russian spy who was poisoned in the UK. The sanctions are part of a broader campaign by Russia to destabilize Europe, undermine Ukraine's sovereignty, and threaten the safety of British citizens.

The United Kingdom has imposed sanctions on 18 Russian military intelligence officers and three units, accusing them of involvement in a 2022 bomb attack on a theater in Mariupol, Ukraine, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians [1]. Additionally, the UK has linked these individuals to the targeting of the family of a former Russian spy who was later poisoned in the UK.

The sanctions are part of a broader campaign by Russia to destabilize Europe, undermine Ukraine's sovereignty, and threaten the safety of British citizens, according to UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy [1]. The GRU, Russia's military intelligence agency, has been accused of carrying out a series of cyberattacks and other disruptive activities across Europe and NATO countries since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

One of the targeted units, Unit 26165, was responsible for online reconnaissance on civilian bomb shelters in Mariupol and Kharkiv in March 2022 [1]. The reconnaissance led to a Russian airstrike on the Mariupol theater, where civilians had painted the word "children" outside to spare them from the bombs. The attack resulted in the deaths of approximately 600 people, including many children [1].

The UK has also linked Unit 26165 to the 2013 malware attack on the email accounts of the daughter of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and the 2018 poisoning of Skripal and his daughter Yulia with the nerve agent Novichok in Salisbury [1]. Additionally, Unit 74455 attempted to disrupt investigations into the Skripal poisoning by cyber-intruding on the British foreign ministry and the UK's Defense, Science and Technology laboratory [1].

The sanctions are expected to have a limited impact on Russia's intelligence operations but aim to raise awareness of their activities and increase the cost for individuals working for their services [1]. The UK's National Cyber Security Center has also reported that the GRU is behind malware specifically designed to enable access to Microsoft user accounts hosted in the cloud [1].

The UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has not provided details on the specific sanctions but typically involves asset freezes and travel bans [1]. The sanctions are part of a broader effort by the international community to hold Russia accountable for its actions in Ukraine and beyond.

References:
[1] https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/uk-sanctions-russian-intelligence-officers-targeted-mariupol-theater-123858639
[2] https://apnews.com/article/russia-military-intelligence-sabotage-cyber-attacks-2657fe4b54d93e35f30f4ce3fc2665cb
[3] https://www.startribune.com/uk-sanctions-russian-intelligence-officers-who-targeted-mariupol-theater-and-family-of-poisoned-spy/601434359