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The UK government has announced it will be implementing new sanctions on individuals and businesses responsible for providing Russia with suicide drones which have been used to attack Ukraine.
The Shahed-136 drones, popularly known as ‘kamikaze drones’, have already been used by Russia to kill several Ukrainians and destroy critical Ukrainian infrastructure. Evidence of Russia using Iranian drones has mounted over the last few weeks following the Ukrainian military shooting down and capturing a large number of drones since early September. Recent reports also indicate that Iranian specialists have been travelling to Russia and occupied areas of Ukraine in order to train Russian troops to use these drones. The announcement of new UK sanctions comes following similar news by EU officials that they planned to implement new bloc sanctions on Iranian individuals and entities linked to the supply of the Shahed-136 drones to Russia.
The UK government believes that both Russia and Iran are violating a UN Security Council Resolution that controls the transfer of these type of weapons from Iran. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly stated: “Iran’s support for Putin’s brutal and illegal war against Ukraine is deplorable. Today we are sanctioning those who have supplied the drones used by Russia to target Ukrainian civilians. This is clear evidence of Iran’s destabilising role in global security”. He added: “These cowardly drone strikes are an act of desperation. By enabling these strikes, these individuals and a manufacturer have caused the people of Ukraine untold suffering. We will ensure that they are held to account for their actions”.
Notable individuals and entities being sanctioned include: Major General Mohammed Hossein Bagheri, who has overseen the army branches supplying Russia with drones; Brigadier General Seyed Hojjatollah Qureishi, a key negotiator in the deal with supply Russia; Brigadier General Saeed Aghajani, the head of the IRGC controlled Aerospace Force UAV command who have been training Russia to use the drones; and Shahed Aviation Industries, an Iranian manufacturer of the Shahed-136 drones currently being used by Russia.
