Tag: Foreign Office

  • PRESS RELEASE : Multilateralism remains the best tool we have to meet the shared challenges of the 21st century – UK statement at the UN Security Council [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Multilateralism remains the best tool we have to meet the shared challenges of the 21st century – UK statement at the UN Security Council [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 22 July 2025.

    Statement by Lord Collins of Highbury, Minister for Africa and the UN, at the UN Security Council debate on peace and security.

    Mr President, the United Kingdom thanks Pakistan for convening this timely debate at a time when multilateralism faces unprecedented strain.

    As the Secretary-General has said, the world is witnessing more conflict than at any time since the founding of the United Nations.

    From Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine to the protracted crisis in Gaza, the international community is being tested.

    Our response must strive for peace and be guided by the principles of the UN Charter.
    Multilateralism remains the best tool we have to meet the shared challenges of the 21st century.

    And this Council, as the UN organ with the primary responsibility for international peace and security, should play a central role.

    That includes through a collective commitment to the rule of law, including international humanitarian law, and to the peaceful settlement of disputes.

    These are not abstract ideals.

    They are principles by which we could collectively prevent and resolve conflict.

    That is why the United Kingdom has kept these principles at the heart of its foreign policy.
    But as we mark the UN’s 80th anniversary, we must seize this moment to revitalise the peace and security architecture, champion human rights, and strengthen the UN development system and humanitarian architecture to ensure all three pillars are collectively fit for purpose.

    We should make full use of the UN’s mediation and conflict prevention capabilities.
    In Sudan, we continue to urge the warring parties to engage meaningfully with existing diplomatic initiatives, including the United Nations’ mediation efforts to achieve a lasting national ceasefire and political solution.

    Here and elsewhere, we need the UN to help address the root causes of conflict.
    Peace operations should be more adaptable, politically attuned and better coordinated with other UN and regional actors, leveraging new technologies and local expertise.
    We must focus not only on brokering peace but on sustaining it.

    The UN’s efforts to verify the implementation of the Peace Agreement in Colombia is a good example of this work in the field.

    And here in New York, we can make better use of the UN Peacebuilding Architecture to support national efforts to sustain peace.

    Underscoring this, we must recall that crucially, sustainable peace can only be achieved through inclusive peace processes, with the full, equal, meaningful and safe participation of women.

    Mr President, the UN Charter is our shared foundation.

    In this moment of global uncertainty, we must recommit to multilateralism, not as a slogan, but as a strategy.

    The United Kingdom stands ready to work with all Member States to this end, including to uphold peace, security, and the rule of law.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Modernised aid budget will focus on impact, value for money and transparency [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Modernised aid budget will focus on impact, value for money and transparency [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 22 July 2025.

    New figures published today show how the international aid budget will deliver value for money for the British taxpayer and maximum impact for the most vulnerable overseas.

    • new figures released today (Tuesday 22 July) set out how the government will spend the aid budget in 2025 to 2026, prioritising areas where Britain can make the biggest difference
    • the new approach means the UK will prioritise spending through the most impactful multilateral organisations like the World Bank and Gavi, the vaccine alliance, while working to drive reform of these institutions
    • Development Minister Baroness Chapman today confirms UK support for the World Bank’s International Development Association, with the fund expected to benefit 1.9 billion people in next 3 years

    New aid funding figures published today (Tuesday 22 July 2025) show how the international aid budget will deliver value for money for the British taxpayer – and maximum impact for the most vulnerable overseas. The cut in the aid budget to 0.3% of Gross National Income from 2027 means every penny must count if the UK is to make progress on its biggest development priorities: to tackle humanitarian, health and climate crises.

    Today’s aid figures, published in the FCDO’s annual report and the first to be released since the cut was announced in February, give an indication of the new approach the Development Minister Baroness Chapman will take. They follow a comprehensive line-by-line strategic review of aid conducted by the minister, which focused on prioritisation, efficiency, protecting planned humanitarian support and live contracts while ensuring responsible exit from programming where necessary.

    The pivot will see global organisations with a proven track record of impact, like the World Bank and Gavi, prioritised to deliver better results for the UK taxpayer and the world’s poorest people.

    The UK will also continue to play a key humanitarian role supporting those in crisis, including in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan, and will hold a reserve fund to respond to future crises at pace.

    However, underperforming multilateral organisations will face funding cuts in future, and as the UK moves to spend less on aid, bilateral support to some countries is also dropping.

    While bilateral support for some countries will drop, the UK will instead increasingly share expertise, like that of our world leading scientists and financial sector. It will focus on tackling the climate crisis, health threats and humanitarian emergencies, creating stability and growth to help deliver the Plan for Change at home. The National Security Strategy published earlier this year said British interests are best served through effective multilateral cooperation.

    As part of its growing support for impactful multilateral organisations, the UK today confirmed it will honour a pledge to the International Development Association (IDA) – the World Bank’s fund for the poorest countries – having agreed a new way to make payments that reduces costs to UK taxpayers and provides the same value to the Bank. IDA is expected to benefit 1.9 billion people in the next 3 years.

    Minister for Development Baroness Chapman said:

    We are modernising our approach to international development. Every pound must work harder for UK taxpayers and the people we help around the world and these figures show how we are starting to do just that through having a clear focus and priorities.

    The UK is moving towards a new relationship with developing countries, becoming partners and investors, rather than acting as a traditional aid donor. We want to work with countries and share our expertise – from world leading science to the City of London – to help them become no longer dependent on aid, and organisations like the World Bank and Gavi are central to how we can work with others to solve some of the biggest challenges of our time: humanitarian disasters, pandemics and the climate crisis.

    The UK’s support for the multilateral system will come with a renewed push for its reform to maximise efficiency and impact for people on the ground.  It follows UK funding announced for another multilateral organisation Gavi, the vaccine alliance, last month, which will help save up to 8 million lives.

    The World Bank support was originally announced last November, but all UK aid funding was subsequently reviewed following the 0.3% announcement in February this year. Every £1 the UK invests in the World Bank’s IDA fund, enables £4 of finance for developing countries. The IDA fund is expected to benefit 1.9 billion people in next 3 years.

    The World Bank President Ajay Banga today welcomed the UK’s funding commitment. He said:

    We are grateful to the United Kingdom for honouring its pledge to IDA. In a time of tight budgets and growing global risks, this is not just generosity – it’s strategy. Every taxpayer pound is multiplied many times over through the Bank’s ability to mobilise capital and partner with the private sector.

    These resources help create jobs in developing countries – jobs that build self-reliant economies, reduce the drivers of instability, crime, and migration, and grow the middle class. In turn, they create future consumers of UK products and investment opportunities that strengthen the UK economy over the long term.

    The UK’s new approach aligns with recent calls from Global South leaders for a move away from traditional aid to a focus on investment and partnerships, including from the African Development Bank, and the former Kenyan President.

    Alongside the figures released today, the government has also published an equality impact assessment, which found plans to reduce the aid budget will “protect against disproportionate impacts on equalities” overall.

    The government will publish indicative multi-year allocations for 2026 to 2029 in the autumn, providing an even clearer picture of the UK’s future direction in international development.

    Background

    1. The full ODA spending allocations were published in the FCDO’s annual report and accounts on 22 July 2025.
    2. The equality impact assessment was published alongside the annual report and accounts.
    3. The UK announced last November it would pledge £1.98 billion to the World Bank’s IDA21 – from July 2025 to June 2028. All UK aid funding was subsequently reviewed following the decision to reduce the aid budget in February. We have now agreed to accelerate our payments to the Bank, reducing their need to borrow from markets. This means that while the UK will provide the Bank with around 10% less cash in total, the Bank will regard our contribution as equivalent to our original pledge. A number of other donors accelerate their payments to provide early support to the Bank and to increase the value of their funding in the same way.
    4. The Foreign Secretary announced new humanitarian support for Gaza on Monday 21 July 2025.
  • PRESS RELEASE : UK brings forward world’s first sanctions regime to smash the gangs responsible for irregular migration  [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK brings forward world’s first sanctions regime to smash the gangs responsible for irregular migration  [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 22 July 2025.

    Anyone complicit in facilitating people smuggling to the UK will be at risk of having their assets frozen and being banned from travelling to Britain, under new powers announced by the Foreign Secretary today.

    • anyone complicit in facilitating people smuggling to the UK could be sanctioned from tomorrow
    • targets will have assets frozen, be shut off from the UK financial system and banned from travelling to the UK, under new regime targeting supply of money and material enabling irregular migration
    • new sanctions are the latest tool in UK’s arsenal to secure Britain’s borders, reduce irregular migration and deliver on the Plan for Change

    Anyone complicit in facilitating people smuggling to the UK will be at risk of having their assets frozen and being banned from travelling to Britain, under new powers announced by the Foreign Secretary today.

    Tomorrow, the FCDO will impose the first wave of sanctions on gangs involved in people smuggling and driving irregular migration to the UK, as well as their enablers, such as financiers and companies involved in the sale of small boat equipment.

    The plans are a key example of the FCDO using innovative foreign policy approaches to deliver on the Plan for Change for the British people. The regime will be the world’s first dedicated to targeting people smuggling and organised immigration crime, with the exploitation of vulnerable people by criminals and their associated networks being one of the key drivers of irregular migration to the UK.

    Migrants who pay people-smugglers are also at a high risk of working in modern slavery conditions in the informal economy, being returned to their home country, or losing their lives at sea.

    Sanctions can disrupt the flow of money and materials – including freezing property, bank accounts and other assets – which allow organised criminal gangs to facilitate irregular migration to the UK. Sanctions are designed to reach individuals located anywhere in the world, who will be publicly named so that it is illegal for the UK financial system to engage with them.

    As part of the government’s Plan for Change and mission-led approach, the FCDO has been breaking down siloes by working closely with investigators at the National Crime Agency, Border Security Command, and other key partners to identify the most impactful targets, with the first sanctions planned for tomorrow.

    The first targets will cover a range of wrongdoing, from the supply of small boats being used on cross-Channel journeys, to the trade in fake passports, as well as middlemen facilitating payments through Hawala networks, to the gang leaders themselves.

    The regime will complement new powers for law enforcement being introduced in the Border, Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, ensuring we have the widest toolkit available to smash the gangs. Sanctions can be used to target organised immigration crime gangs and their enablers, wherever they are, including where traditional law enforcement and criminal justice approaches cannot reach.

    People smuggling and human trafficking are a challenge to global security, and the Government is working to strengthen our relationships with key partners, including the EU, to better secure the UK’s borders.

    Foreign Secretary David Lammy, said:

    For too long, criminal gangs have been lining their corrupt pockets and preying on the hopes of vulnerable people with impunity as they drive irregular migration to the UK. We will not accept this status quo.

    It is our moral duty and a key part of our Plan for Change to do all we can to smash these gangs and secure Britain’s borders.

    That’s why the UK has created the world’s first sanctions regime targeted at gangs involved in people smuggling and driving irregular migration, as well as their enablers. From tomorrow, those involved will face having their assets frozen, being shut off from the UK financial system and banned from travelling to the UK.

    Today’s announcement reflects how the whole of government is working together on the single mission of securing Britain’s borders. The new regime complements work by the National Crime Agency and Border Security Command (BSC) to tackle organised immigration crime and tackle the causes of irregular migration to the UK in source and transit countries.

    The BSC has seen a budget boost of £280 million per year by 2028 to fund new specialist investigators, new technology and cutting-edge surveillance equipment to disrupt and destroy criminal gangs.

    Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

    The new sanctions regime marks a decisive step in our fight against the criminal gangs who profit from human misery. It will allow us to target the assets and operations of people-smugglers wherever they operate, cutting off their funding and dismantling their networks piece by piece.

    Through the Border Security Command and key partners like the National Crime Agency, we are strengthening our ties with other nations to tackle this global problem.

    Together, we are sending a clear message that there is no hiding place for those who exploit vulnerable people and put lives at risk for profit.

    Today’s announcement is part of the FCDO’s 3-pronged ‘disrupt, deter, return’ strategy to tackle irregular migration globally. In addition to disrupting organised immigration crime networks through sanctions, the FCDO works with source and transit countries to deter would-be migrants from making a dangerous journey in the first place, and works with the Home Office to negotiate the return of people who have no right to be here to their countries of origin, including criminals and failed asylum seekers.

    Since the election, over 35,000 people have been returned, up 13% on the same period in the year before.

  • PRESS RELEASE : The UK is committed to achieving our shared goals for sustainable development – UK National statement at the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : The UK is committed to achieving our shared goals for sustainable development – UK National statement at the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 21 July 2025.

    Statement by Lord Collins of Highbury, Minister for Africa and the UN, at the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.

    As we mark the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, the United Kingdom is committed to working with you to achieve our shared goals for sustainable development.

    With targets way off track, and five years to go, through the Pact for the Future, we have all committed to picking up the pace.

    So, we must implement the shared vision we set out at the Financing for Development in Seville.

    Harnessing the power of the private sector.

    Raising revenue from domestic taxation and tackling illicit finance.

    Making sure ODA plays a catalytic role.

    With a roadmap to address unsustainable debt.

    And the United Kingdom is championing innovative financing instruments, leveraging the City of London expertise.

    This is part of how we renew confidence in multilateralism itself, but we also need a system that is more efficient, coherent and resilient.

    That’s why, the UK is backing the Secretary General’s UN at 80 initiative, calling for the ambitious reform needed to build a development system fit for the future.

    We are transforming the UK’s approach.

    Prioritising climate and nature, health, humanitarian assistance, and making sure everyone feels the benefits, including women and girls.

    Improving the systems every country needs to invest in public services that make a difference in people’s lives.

    And protecting the health of people and economies from backing ambition on Non-Communicable Diseases, to pledging further support for the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation, and co-hosting the Global Fund replenishment alongside South Africa.

    The last few months alone have seen success spanning Seville to the UN Ocean Conference.

    So, be it the General Assembly, or COP30 in Brazil, let us make the most of opportunities to build on that, so we get back on track towards meeting the Sustainable Development Goals, in the months and years ahead.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Sovereign Base Areas Specialised Committee meeting joint statement [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Sovereign Base Areas Specialised Committee meeting joint statement [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 18 July 2025.

    Joint statement following the sixth meeting of the Withdrawal Agreement Specialised Committee on issues related to the implementation of the Protocol relating to the Sovereign Base Areas of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Cyprus.

    The sixth meeting of the Specialised Committee on issues related to the implementation of the Protocol relating to the Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus was held on 3 July 2025, co-chaired by officials from the European Commission and the UK Government.

    The Committee was established by the Withdrawal Agreement to facilitate the implementation and application of the Protocol. The co-chairs reviewed the operational phase of the implementation of the Protocol since its last meeting in December 2023. This review showed that implementation is operating well in most areas.

    Both sides reaffirmed their continued commitment to the smooth implementation of the Protocol and agreed to finalise further technical discussions with the objective of reaching a common understanding on the correct implementation of the Protocol in the area of taxation (Article 3 of the Protocol) and fisheries (Article 6 of the Protocol) as a matter of priority. The Specialised Committee will revert to this issue immediately afterwards.

  • PRESS RELEASE : The UK welcomes the Colombian Government’s announcement of the Comprehensive Protection Programme – UK statement at the UN Security Council [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : The UK welcomes the Colombian Government’s announcement of the Comprehensive Protection Programme – UK statement at the UN Security Council [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 18 July 2025.

    Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Colombia.

    The UK remains committed to the implementation of the 2016 Agreement as the main vehicle for lasting peace in Colombia.

    I’d like to start by welcoming the Colombian Government’s announcement of the Comprehensive Protection Programme in June as a measure to address increasing levels of violence across the country, including the assassination attempt on Senator Miguel Uribe on 7 June.

    And I join others in hoping for his continued recovery.

    Nine signatories were killed during the reporting period, bringing the total to 469 since the Agreement was signed.

    These attacks, often deliberately targeting those who are committed to peace and societal change, underline the urgent need to implement the Comprehensive Protection Programme and for stronger protection measures.

    President, as SRSG Massieu reminded us, transitional justice remains a critical component of the 2016 Agreement, as we also heard during our visit last year.

    Colombians need to see restorative justice in action. So, we encourage the Jurisdiction to maintain the pace of sentencing and the government to ensure complementary actions advance in parallel.

    We welcome the presence of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace in this chamber and its President, Alejandro Ramelli.

    We understand that the Special Jurisdiction for Peace will shortly issue sentences under two Macro Cases.

    This would represent a significant advance in the work of the Jurisdiction.

    And this, as SRSG Massieu reminded us, is essential to maintain the trust of the victims, the signatories and the Colombian people.

    Finally, President, as this government enters its final year in office, and with elections in view, we urge the government to prioritise implementation of the Agreement and to fund it adequately.

    The Secretary General’s latest report shows that implementation of the 2016 Agreement remains uneven, with key challenges unaddressed across several chapters, despite progress in others.

    We welcome the meeting in May of the Commission for the Follow-up, Promotion, and Verification of the Implementation, ‘the CSIVI’, where parties agreed an action plan for the remainder of the year.

    We commend efforts to strengthen institutional coordination and support civil society.

    Convening institutional structures of the Agreement is key to sustaining peace efforts, particularly as Colombia transitions into its electoral period.

    President, the UK is and will remain a key partner on the path to sustainable peace in Colombia.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Official visit from Paraguayan President Santiago Peña to the UK [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Official visit from Paraguayan President Santiago Peña to the UK [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 18 July 2025.

    During the visit, a United Kingdom-Paraguay Friendship Charter was signed between both nations.

    Paraguayan President Santiago Peña visited the United Kingdom this week, marking a historic milestone in UK–Paraguay relations. The Paraguayan Head of State was received in audience by His Majesty King Charles III at Windsor Castle.

    The visit comes as the two countries celebrate over 170 years of diplomatic ties and reflects a shared commitment to deepening cooperation in key areas such as trade, sustainable investment, education, and climate action.

    Throughout the visit, President Peña engaged with high-level political, business and academic leaders. His agenda included a keynote address at Canning House, and a business roundtable with leading UK companies in the energy and technology sectors.

    The Royal Audience with King Charles III, described by President Peña as a “historic moment,” underscored the mutual respect and shared values that continue to bind both nations. British Ambassador to Paraguay, Danielle Dunne, who accompanied the visit, stated: “It was an honour to witness this historic occasion. The UK and Paraguay are natural partners, and this visit demonstrates our shared commitment to sustainable and inclusive growth for our nations.”

    During the visit, a United Kingdom-Paraguay Friendship Charter was signed between Paraguay’s Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez Lezcano and British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs David Lammy, committing both nations to enhanced cooperation across trade, security, democracy, climate action, and education.

    This landmark visit marks a new chapter in UK–Paraguay relations. Trade between the two countries has grown significantly, with total goods and services exchange reaching £70 million in the last recorded period – a 42.9% increase from the previous year. President Peña’s visit reflects Paraguay’s growing strategic relevance as a reliable partner in Latin America, and the UK’s intention to strengthen diplomatic and commercial ties with nations committed to progress and shared prosperity.

  • PRESS RELEASE : 7th Round of Pakistan-UK Dialogue on Arms Control & Non-Proliferation – Joint statement [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : 7th Round of Pakistan-UK Dialogue on Arms Control & Non-Proliferation – Joint statement [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 18 July 2025.

    The 7th Round of the United Kingdom-Pakistan Dialogue on Arms Control, Non-Proliferation, and Disarmament was held in London on 16 July 2025.

    Director of Defence and International Security at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Stephen Lillie CMG, and Additional Foreign Secretary for Arms Control, Disarmament, and International Security (ACDIS) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Islamabad, Ambassador Tahir Andrabi, led the respective delegations.

    The two sides engaged in comprehensive discussions on a wide array of issues, including international and regional security, strategic stability, arms control, disarmament, and non-proliferation. Deliberations also focused on the dynamics of the United Nations General Assembly (First Committee), the Conference on Disarmament (CD), international conventions (such as the BTWC, CWC, and CCW), multilateral export control regimes, and the use and implications of new and emerging technologies.

    In addition, both sides exchanged views on UK-Pakistan bilateral cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear technology.

    Since its inception in 2015, the Dialogue on Arms Control, Non-Proliferation, and Disarmament has remained a key component of the broader bilateral engagement between the two countries.

    Both sides recognized the vital role of regular dialogue in fostering mutual understanding and promoting cooperation. In this context, they agreed to convene the next round of consultations in Islamabad next year.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK statement – response to E1 settlement plan in the occupied West Bank [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK statement – response to E1 settlement plan in the occupied West Bank [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 18 July 2025.

    The UK has issued a statement in response to the announcement by Israel’s Civil Administration to reintroduce the E1 settlement plan in the occupied West Bank.

    A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) spokesperson said:

    The UK strongly opposes the announcement by the central planning bureau of Israel’s Civil Administration to reintroduce the E1 settlement plan, frozen since 2021.

    This plan would build over 3000 houses to the east of Jerusalem, dividing a future Palestinian state in two, and marking a flagrant breach of international law.

    If implemented, the E1 settlement plan would critically undermine the two-state solution – the only route to a lasting peace for both Israelis and Palestinians.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK sanctions Russian spies at the heart of Putin’s malicious regime [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK sanctions Russian spies at the heart of Putin’s malicious regime [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 18 July 2025.

    The UK has exposed Russian spies responsible for spreading chaos and disorder on Putin’s orders.

    • UK exposes and sanctions three GRU units and 18 of their military intelligence officers, responsible for spreading chaos and disorder on Putin’s orders
    • GRU units exposed for their involvement in the bombing of the Mariupol Theatre, the targeting of Yulia Skripal and cyber operations in support of Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine
    • action by UK and allies comes amid global threat posed by Russian malign activity

    Russian spies and hackers targeting the UK and others are today exposed and sanctioned in decisive action by the UK Government to deliver security for working people.

    Today’s measures target three units of the Russian military intelligence agency (GRU) and 18 military intelligence officers who are responsible for conducting a sustained campaign of malicious cyber activity over many years, including in the UK.

    The GRU routinely uses cyber and information operations to sow chaos, division and disorder in Ukraine and across the world with devastating real-world consequences.

    In 2022, Unit 26165, sanctioned today, conducted online reconnaissance to help target missile strikes against Mariupol – including the strike that destroyed the Mariupol Theatre where hundreds of civilians, including children, were murdered.

    Today’s action also hits GRU military intelligence officers responsible for historically targeting Yulia Skripal’s device with malicious malware known as X-Agent – five years before GRU military intelligence officers’ failed attempt to murder Yulia and Sergei Skripal with the deadly Novichok nerve agent in Salisbury.

    In the UK, Russia has targeted media outlets, telecoms providers, political and democratic institutions, and energy infrastructure. The United Kingdom and our international allies are watching Russia and are countering their attacks both publicly and behind the scenes.

    Foreign Secretary, David Lammy said:

    GRU spies are running a campaign to destabilise Europe, undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty and threaten the safety of British citizens.

    The Kremlin should be in no doubt: we see what they are trying to do in the shadows and we won’t tolerate it. That’s why we’re taking decisive action with sanctions against Russian spies. Protecting the UK from harm is fundamental to this government’s Plan for Change.

    Putin’s hybrid threats and aggression will never break our resolve. The UK and our Allies support for Ukraine and Europe’s security is ironclad.

    The UK government is committed to accelerating its efforts to counter hybrid threats at home, protecting the UK’s national security – a key foundation of the Plan for Change – and abroad, working in collaboration with a growing international coalition including all 32 NATO Allies, the EU and its member states, and our partners in the FBI.

    That is why the UK has announced the biggest sustained increase in defence spending – rising to 2.6% of GDP from 2027 – since the Cold War, and as highlighted in the National Security Review, the UK is stepping up our focus on tackling hybrid and technology enabled threats. The new UK-EU Security and Defence Partnership will support this, enabling closer cooperation across a wide range of areas.

    The Kremlin has also used cyber operations in support of Putin’s illegal war – including targeting critical infrastructure like Viasat satellite communications. Some of these attacks were conducted on the eve of the full-scale invasion in 2022 with the express purpose of degrading Ukraine’s ability to defend itself.

    Russia’s insidious activity stretches far beyond Europe. In addition to the GRU Units and officers, the UK is also sanctioning three leaders of “African Initiative”, a social media content mill established and funded by Russia and employing Russian intelligence officers to conduct information operations in West Africa. This includes reckless attempts to undermine lifesaving global health initiatives in the region by pushing baseless conspiracy theories to further the Kremlin’s political agenda.

    Background

    The Foreign Secretary laid out how the UK is stepping up our approach to combatting Russian hybrid threats in his Mansion House speech. Read more here.

    See this factsheet for further information: GRU Cyber and Hybrid Threat Operations

    North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) NAC statement: Statement of Condemnation by the North Atlantic Council (NAC) concerning Russian Malicious Cyber Activities

    EU HR / VP Statement on behalf of the European Union Member States: Hybrid threat / Russia: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU condemning Russia’s persistent hybrid campaigns against the EU, its Member States and partners

    Hybrid Threats activity refers to overt or covert actions by foreign governments which fall short of direct armed conflict with the UK but cause harm or threaten the safety or interests of the UK or our allies.

    Examples of this include:

    • Cyber attacks (e.g. hacking government systems or stealing trade secrets)
    • Disinformation (e.g. spreading false or misleading information online)
    • Sabotage (e.g. damaging infrastructure or supply chains)
    • Political interference (e.g. influencing elections or public opinion)
    • More information on the Salisbury Poisonings and the Dawn Sturgess Inquiry can be found here: The Dawn Sturgess Inquiry – Inquiry into 2018 Salisbury poisonings

    Below is a full list of those sanctioned today:

    • Aleksandr Vladimirovich OSADCHUK
    • Yevgeniy Mikhaylovich SEREBRIAKOV
    • Anatoliy Sergeyvich KOVALEV
    • Artem Valeryvich OCHICHENKO
    • The 161st Specialist Training Centre (TsPS) (Unit 29155) of the GRU
    • Vladislav Yevgenyevich BOROVKOV
    • Nikolay Aleksandrovich KORCHAGIN
    • Yuriy Federovich DENISOV
    • Vitaly Aleksandrovich SHEVCHENKO
    • Ivan Sergeyevich YERMAKOV
    • Aleksey Viktorovich LUKASHEV
    • Sergey Sergeyevich VASYUK
    • Andrey Eduardovich BARANOV
    • Aleksey Sergeyevich MORENETS
    • Sergey Aleksandrovich MORGACHEV
    • Artem Adreyevich MALYSHEV
    • Yuriy Leonidovich SHIKOLENKO
    • Victor Borisovich NETYKSHO
    • Dmitriy Aleksandrovich MIKHAYLOV
    • African Initiative
    • Artyom Sergeevich KUREYEV
    • Anna Sergeevna ZAMARAEVA
    • Victor Aleksandrovich LUKOVENKO

    In addition, we have brought new evidence to light on the following existing designations:

    • The Main Centre for Special Technologies (GTsST) (Unit 74455) of the Russian GRU
    • The 85th Main Special Services Centre (GTsSS) (Unit 26165) of the Russian GRU