March 29, 2024

Ukraine conflict and Great Britain: strong words, weak barriers

Ukraine conflict and Great Britain: strong words, weak barriers

London. When Boris Johnson appeared before parliament on Tuesday afternoon to announce Britain’s planned sanctions against Russia, he initially said everything had been done to avert a crisis. They understood the concerns of the Russians and tried to resolve the conflict diplomatically until the last minute. But now, the Prime Minister said, “we have to face the possibility that none of our efforts will succeed.”

He then listed Britain’s planned moves against Russia, which should take effect immediately: sanctions would be imposed on the Russian banks Rossiayaz, IS Bank, General Bank, Promsvyazbank and the Black Sea Bank, and three rich people.

The millionaire businessmen targeted by these activities were Igor Rottenberg, Boris Rottenberg and Gennady Timchenko. Igor and Boris Rottenberg own a construction company that specializes in upgrading oil and gas transportation systems. Both are close to Vladimir Putin. Gen. Timchenko has interests in Russian companies, including the gas company Novatech.

“Any assets they hold in the UK will be frozen and people will be barred from entering the UK,” Johnson said. And this is only the first step. If Putin fully occupies Ukraine, further sanctions will continue. “We will target any person or company of strategic importance to Russia,” he said.

Opposition parties have stated they will not run in the by-elections

However, whether the sanctions will go far enough is debatable. Labor MP Chris Bryant said Tuesday that further action was needed. Laila Moran, foreign policy spokeswoman for the Liberal Democrats, stressed that two of the individuals now targeted by the UK have already been allowed into the US.

Elizabeth Schifffossl, a sociologist at the University of Aston in Birmingham and author of the book “Rich Russians: From oligarchs to the bourgeoisie,” sees these measures as too weak: “These obstacles cannot snatch the sleep of these three billionaires,” he said. Tuesday Editorial Network Germany (RND). None of them are really big in the UK and “Timchenko’s interests are in Switzerland”. Boris Rottenberg and his son-in-law Igor have lost nothing but private residences in London.