UK sanctions Russian spies linked to Mariupol theatre strike and cyber attacks
The United Kingdom has imposed a new wave of sanctions targeting Russian military intelligence officers and units accused of striking Ukrainian civilians and conducting cyber operations against the West.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) announced sanctions against three GRU units and 18 individual operatives, freezing their assets and banning them from entering the U.K. The move aims to hold Russia accountable for its actions in the war in Ukraine and beyond, News.Az reports, citing Politico.
Among those sanctioned is Unit 26165, which carried out online reconnaissance to guide missile strikes on Mariupol in 2022, including the bombing of the Mariupol Theatre. The theatre served as a civilian shelter during Russia’s siege of the city, and despite a visible sign reading “children” in Russian, it was bombed, killing hundreds of civilians — estimates range from 300 to 600 fatalities.
The same unit is linked to major cyber attacks over the past decade, including breaches of the German Bundestag (2015), the U.S. Democratic National Committee (2016), and Emmanuel Macron’s 2017 campaign. It also allegedly disrupted foreign aid to Ukraine and targeted transport hubs.
Another sanctioned GRU group, Unit 29155, deployed “WhisperGate” wiper malware across 70 Ukrainian government systems before Russia’s invasion. British authorities also cited GRU involvement in cyber attacks against U.K. media, telecoms, political institutions, and energy infrastructure.
Spies implicated in earlier incidents, including infecting Yulia Skripal’s phone before the 2018 Novichok poisoning attempt, were also sanctioned.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the measures send a clear signal:
“We see what they are trying to do in the shadows and we won’t tolerate it.”
The U.K. also sanctioned the “African Initiative”, a Kremlin-linked social media network accused of spreading disinformation in West Africa and undermining global health campaigns.
NATO allies backed the U.K.’s move, stating:
“We strongly condemn Russia’s malicious cyber activities, which constitute a threat to Allied security.”
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