On September 12, 2025, the United Kingdom took a decisive step in the ongoing international campaign to undermine Russia’s ability to wage war in Ukraine, unveiling a sweeping package of 100 new sanctions. These measures, announced by Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper during her visit to Kyiv, target both Russia’s revenue streams and the supply chains that feed its military machine. The UK’s move—its most comprehensive yet—comes as Russia intensifies its assault on Ukraine and as diplomatic efforts for peace remain stalled.
The centerpiece of the new sanctions is a direct hit on Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet”—a collection of aging vessels alleged to be covertly transporting Russian oil in defiance of existing international embargoes. According to the BBC and Reuters, 70 additional ships have now been blacklisted by the UK, bringing the total number of Russian oil tankers sanctioned by Britain to a record high. These vessels, including the Kirill Lavrov, Mikhail Ulyanov, and several bearing the “Gazpromneft” prefix (signaling ties to the state-owned energy giant), are seen as critical to Moscow’s efforts to circumvent Western restrictions and keep oil revenues flowing. Maritime security experts cited by Kyiv Post and The Guardian have long warned that the shadow fleet is a vital cog in Russia’s sanctions-evasion apparatus, helping to fund the Kremlin’s war effort even as formal trade channels are squeezed.
But the UK’s latest action goes further than targeting oil tankers. The new sanctions also strike at 30 entities and individuals believed to be supporting Russia’s military supply chain. Among those named are electronics manufacturers and suppliers from China and Turkey, whose components have reportedly been found in Russian missiles and drones. Notably, Shenzhen Blue Hat International Trade Co. Ltd., its Russian co-owners Elena Malitckaia and Alexey Malitskiy, and Turkey-based Mastel Makina Ithalat Ihracat Limited Sirketi and its Azerbaijani CEO Shanlik Shukurov have all been sanctioned. These companies are accused of propping up Russia’s war machine by supplying key equipment such as electronics, chemicals, and explosives used to manufacture advanced weaponry, including Iskander and Kh-101 missiles.
Foreign Secretary Cooper, newly appointed just a week ago, made her position clear during the announcement. “International action to increase economic pressure on Russia and to cut off critical cash flows which he desperately needs to pay for this illegal war is vital,” she stated, as reported by Anadolu Agency and The Guardian. “These sanctions form the next stage in the UK’s leading efforts to ramp up economic pressure alongside our security support and our work alongside the Coalition of the Willing for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.” Cooper also underscored the UK’s resolve in the face of Russian escalation, saying, “The UK will not stand idly by as Putin continues his barbaric invasion of Ukraine. His complete disregard for sovereignty has been shown this week when he recklessly sent drones into Nato airspace. The security of Nato and Ukraine are crucial to the UK’s security—an integral part of the prime minister’s plan for change.”
The timing of the UK’s move is no accident. In recent weeks, Russia has dramatically ramped up its aerial campaign against Ukraine, launching what analysts describe as the largest air attack of the war. Over 800 missiles and drones were fired at Ukraine in a single night, according to Reuters and BBC. The onslaught has not only resulted in tragic loss of life but also caused severe damage to government infrastructure, including the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers building, the British Council, and the EU delegation buildings in Kyiv. The scale of attacks has soared, with 6,500 Russian drone and missile launches reported in July 2025 alone—a tenfold increase from a year earlier.
The conflict’s spillover effects have also rattled neighboring countries. On September 10, Poland reported that its airspace was violated by Russian drones amid overnight airstrikes, an incident described by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk as an “act of aggression.” While Russia’s Defense Ministry denied any intent to strike Polish territory and expressed willingness to engage in dialogue, the episode has heightened NATO’s security concerns and underscored the risks of escalation. France’s foreign ministry responded with a stern warning to Moscow, declaring, “We will not be intimidated.”
The UK’s actions are part of a broader Western push to tighten the economic noose around the Kremlin. On the same day as the British announcement, the European Union agreed to prolong its own sanctions on more than 2,500 Russian individuals and entities—including President Vladimir Putin—for another six months. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas confirmed that Brussels is also finalizing a new package of measures targeting Russian oil sales, shadow oil tankers, and banks. “We’ll keep choking off the cash for Putin’s war,” Kallas wrote on X, signaling continued transatlantic resolve.
Meanwhile, Russia’s diplomatic stance remains rigid. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that peace talks with Ukraine are “on pause,” with both sides entrenched in their positions. Moscow continues to demand that Ukraine cede the eastern Donbas region—an offer Kyiv has flatly rejected. Ukraine, for its part, has called for the deployment of European troops as a peacekeeping force, a proposal dismissed by Moscow as unacceptable. Three rounds of direct talks in Istanbul have produced little beyond large-scale prisoner exchanges, and the prospects for a negotiated settlement appear dim.
China, whose companies have been caught in the crosshairs of the new sanctions, has voiced strong objections. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in London condemned the UK’s measures as “unilateral actions without any basis in international law,” arguing they undermine the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises. This pushback highlights the global complexities at play, as Western governments seek to close loopholes while navigating the sensitivities of major trading partners.
As the war grinds on, the effectiveness of sanctions remains a point of debate. Supporters argue that sustained economic pressure is essential to degrading Russia’s war effort and compelling a change in Kremlin behavior. Critics, however, question whether sanctions alone can achieve these aims, particularly as Russia adapts and forges new partnerships to blunt their impact. What’s clear is that, for now, the UK and its allies are determined to keep tightening the screws—targeting not just the obvious levers of power but the shadowy networks that help fuel one of the world’s most dangerous conflicts.
With diplomatic avenues narrowing and the fighting showing no sign of abating, the latest wave of sanctions signals both the resolve and the limits of Western strategy. As one chapter in the conflict closes and another begins, all eyes remain on the shadow fleet, the supply chains, and the battered cities of Ukraine—where the cost of war is measured not just in missiles and money, but in lives and futures at stake.