• Liz Truss announces 14 new sanctions, including Russian propagandist Sergey Brilev and Kremlin funded TV-Novosti – who own RT
• New sanctions also include Russian Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev, known as ‘the butcher of Mariupol’
• The UK is leading global action on sanctions to debilitate the economy funding Putin’s war machine and increase pressure on his regime

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has announced 14 new sanctions today (Thursday 31 March) on Russian propagandists and state media who spread lies and deceit about Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
This includes Sergey Brilev, famous TV anchor on Russia state-owned media Rossiya and propagandist for Putin. Having previously lived in the UK, Brilev will no longer be able to access any of his UK assets or continue business dealings.

The government is also directly sanctioning state media organisations, targeting the Kremlin funded TV-Novosti who own RT, formerly Russia Today, and Rossiya Segodnya who control news agency Sputnik.

Following Ofcom’s decision to revoke RT’s broadcasting licence, these sanctions will ensure RT will not be able to find its way back on UK televisions, and will prevent companies and individuals operating in the UK from doing business with Russian state propaganda vehicles RT and Sputnik, and key figures in those organisations. Disinformation is part of the Kremlin playbook and is used by Putin’s regime to obscure the truth of his unjust invasion.

Other propagandists sanctioned today include:

• Aleksandr Zharov, Chief Executive Officer of Gazprom-Media and former Head of the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor)
• Alexey Nikolov, Managing Director of RT
• Anton Anisimov, Head of Sputnik International Broadcasting

As well as targeting Putin’s propaganda machine, the government is also sanctioning prominent Russian Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev.

Dubbed ‘the butcher of Mariupol’, Mizintsev is the Chief of the National Defence Command and Control Centre, where all Russian military operations are planned and controlled worldwide. Mizintsev is known for using reprehensible tactics, including shelling civilian centres in both Aleppo in 2015-16 and now in Mariupol – where atrocities are being perpetuated against Ukrainian people.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said:

Putin’s war on Ukraine is based on a torrent of lies. Britain has helped lead the world in exposing Kremlin disinformation, and this latest batch of sanctions hits the shameless propagandists who push out Putin’s fake news and narratives.

We will keep on going with more sanctions to ramp up the pressure on Russia and ensure Putin loses in Ukraine. Nothing and no one is off the table.

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said:

Putin’s propaganda machine has been working overdrive to spread misinformation and distract from his barbaric actions in Ukraine. These sanctions will target those who are complicit in covering up the Russian state’s actions. We will not hesitate to act further against individuals and organisations attempting to deceive people about this misguided war.

The UK has also fast-tracked sanctions against another 7 individuals connected to the Strategic Culture Foundation – who were recently sanctioned by Australia for their role in spreading disinformation. The UK is operating closely with allies to target Russia’s oligarchs, banks and businesses.

Background:

• Asset freeze – An asset freeze prevents any UK citizen, or any business in the UK, from dealing with any funds or economic resources which are owned, held or controlled by the designated person and which are held in the UK. It will also prevent funds or economic resources being provided to or for the benefit of the designated person.
• Travel ban – A travel ban means that the designated person must be refused leave to enter or to remain in the United Kingdom, providing the individual be an excluded person under section 8B of the Immigration Act 1971.
• Transport sanction – Recently introduced powers make it a criminal offence for any Russian aircraft to fly or land in the UK and give the government powers to remove aircraft belonging to designated Russian individuals and entities from the UK aircraft register, even if the sanctioned individual is not on board. Russian ships are also banned from UK ports.

Individuals and entities sanctioned:

• Sergey Brilev is a prominent Russian presenter on the state-owned TV channel Rossiya. He is known for his interviews with high profile political figures, including Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev. The TV presenter is also a member of the Russian International Affairs Council which is presided over by the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov. The channel Rossiya has described the Ukrainian war as a “special military operation” and accused ‘Ukrainian Nazis’ of carrying out genocide in the country.
• TV-Novosti, the institution that controls RT and is funded by the Kremlin. RT has propagated pro-Kremlin narratives around the invasion of Ukraine, including that neo-Nazis are present in the country and that Ukrainian soldiers have committed war crimes.
• Rossiya Segodnya, a media group owned and operated by the Russian government. Rossiya Segodnya controls Sputnik. Sputnik is a Russian state-owned news agency. In the context of Russia’s invasion into Ukraine, it has published disinformation undermining Ukraine, and its senior staff amplify those claims globally.
• Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev, the so-called ‘Butcher of Mariupol’, is a senior Russian general. As Chief of the National Defence Management Centre of the Russian Federation, he has operational overview of all Russian Armed Forces activity worldwide. He has been linked to the planning and execution of the bombardment of Mariupol, among other key Russian military operations against Ukraine. He was also heavily implicated in Russia’s military activity in Syria including the destruction of the city of Aleppo.
• Aleksandr Zharov, Chief Executive Officer of Gazprom-Media and former Head of the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor). Gazprom-Media owns TV channel NTV, that often attacks Ukrainian sovereignty, and which has argued that Kyiv has developed biological weapons with the United States.
• Alexey Nikolov is the Managing Director of RT, formerly Russia Today, and a co-founder of the Association for the Development of International Journalism. He began work as a journalist in the 1970s, eventually contributing to the launch of the Russian national network, REN TV in 1997. He joined RT in 2005 and also serves as Deputy Dean for the Faculty of Communications, Media, and Design at the HSE University, Moscow.
• Anton Anisimov, Editor-in-Chief of Sputnik. Anton Anisimov has been Head of International Broadcasting and Editor-in-Chief of Sputnik since 2015, having previously worked for RT and Rossiya Segodnya. He denies that Sputnik publishes Kremlin propaganda, arguing that his employees view their work as part of a global communications war. In a recent interview on the Russia-Ukraine war, when asked whether the Russian military underestimated Ukrainian resistance, Anisimov was quoted as describing the war as a “combination of a military operation with a humanitarian mission.” He has attacked Ukrainian sovereignty.
• Vladimir Ilich MAKSIMENKO, Director at the Strategic Culture Foundation. The Strategic Culture Foundation is an online journal registered in Russia. Australia has already sanctioned this individual due to his role in spreading disinformation.
• Andrey Grigoryevich ARESHEV, Director at the Strategic Culture Foundation. The Strategic Culture Foundation is an online journal registered in Russia. Australia has already sanctioned this individual due to his role in spreading disinformation.
• Irina Sergeyevna BUBNOV, Social Media Editor at the Strategic Culture Foundation. The Strategic Culture Foundation is an online journal registered in Russia. Australia has already sanctioned this individual due to her role in spreading disinformation.
• Anton Sergeyevich BESPALOV, Social Media Editor at the Strategic Culture Foundation. The Strategic Culture Foundation is an online journal registered in Russia Australia has already sanctioned this individual due to his role in spreading disinformation.
• Sergei Ivanovich SAENKO, Social Media Operations, Strategic Culture Foundation. The Strategic Culture Foundation is an online journal registered in Russia Australia has already sanctioned this individual due to his role in spreading disinformation.
• Natalya Petrovna SKOROKHODOVA, Human Resources, Finance, Strategic Culture Foundation. The Strategic Culture Foundation is an online journal registered in Russia. Australia has already sanctioned this individual due to her role in spreading disinformation.
• Svetlana Georgiyevna ZAMLELOVA, Chief Editor, Journal Kamerton. Journal Kamerton is a news outlet that is affiliated with the Strategic Culture Foundation. Australia has already sanctioned Svetlana Georgiyevna ZAMLELOVA for her role in spreading disinformation.

The GREAT Britain & Northern Ireland campaign has today (Tuesday 29 March) revealed the photographers who have won the ‘Great Exposure Photography Competition’ and will have their pictures displayed across all terminals, on the Heathrow Express train running from the airport to London Paddington train station, and on digital screens within the terminals.

Launched in partnership with the Royal Photographic Society, the GREAT campaign’s project was designed to show passengers a fresh view of the UK, as seen through the eyes and lenses of the public.

The display of 40 photos captures the spirit of all four corners of the nation. People and places from across the UK such as Bow Fiddle Rock in Scotland, Rievaulx Abbey in North Yorkshire, Pentre Ifan in Pembrokeshire, Wales and Gortin Glen Forest Park in Omagh, County Tyrone in Northern Ireland are included.

This project forms part of the government’s ongoing work to promote the UK around the world to drive trade, tourism and international students, with the images due to be seen by tens of millions of people passing through the airport each year.

The winning entries will be displayed for at least a year across spaces throughout Heathrow Airport.

The images were judged by an expert panel, comprising photographer Simon Roberts, Mariama Attah; curator of the Open Eye Gallery in Liverpool, photographer Alistair Morrison, and Heathrow’s Chief Operating Officer, Emma Gilthorpe.

Emma Gilthorpe, Chief Operating Officer at Heathrow Airport and one of the competition judges said:

It is fantastic to see the UK’s rich cultural diversity on show through this brilliant new photography exhibition. I am delighted that passengers arriving at Heathrow will be greeted by these photos, celebrating diverse perspectives and our innovative, welcoming spirit.

We’re gearing up for a busy summer travel season and I hope this exhibition will encourage visitors to see new perspectives when they visit the amazing places the UK has to offer.

Competition judge Alistair Morrison added:

It was refreshing to see so many entries that truly reflected the idea of ‘Seeing Things Differently’. Having to choose from such an outstanding collection of diverse photographs was tough – congratulations to everybody who contributed

Competition winner Jacob McDonald said:

I am extremely happy and proud to be chosen as one of the winners. It is a massive moment for me. I had only owned a camera for three months when I took this photo and I couldn’t be happier.

Competition winner Alex Ward added:

When I started capturing wild swimmers as part of my MA at Falmouth University, I had no idea it would lead me to such a variety of people, places and rituals. Swimmers represent the true nature of our nation; beautifully diverse, stoic and connected with the land.

Competition winner Aga McPherson concluded:

I am also proud that I could create and share something that is not just an aesthetically pleasing photograph but a personal representation of my own experience of the UK.

I would love to inspire others to see the UK in this way. I hope that people arriving at Heathrow from all over the world will instantly feel a warm welcome and connection to the UK upon viewing my photograph.

Note to editors

The competition’s winners are below. A number of winners have provided attributable quotes that media can access via the press office.

• Rooful Ali taken at London
• Constantino Attard taken at Faizan E Medina Mosque, Peterborough
• Aga McPherson taken at Dover Seafront, Kent
• Brunel Johnson taken at Ridley Road, Dalston, London
• Holly McDonagh taken at Portmuck Harbour, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
• Robert Beasley taken at Abingdon, Oxfordshire
• Judith Parrott taken at An Teallach ridge, Scotland
• Neil Porter taken at NEC Birmingham
• Rachel Keenan taken at Isle of Arran
• Jesús Díez García taken at Waterloo Bridge, London
• John Robert Charlton taken at Gateshead Quayside, Newcastle
• Joanna Czerniakiewicz-Wierzbicka taken at Gortin Glen Forest Park, Omagh, Co.Tyrone, Northern Ireland
• Mathew Browne taken at Pentre Ifan, Pembrokeshire
• Tatiana Hepplewhite taken at Rievaulx Abbey, North Yorkshire
• Susan Pilcher taken at Dungeness, Kent
• Adam B Lally taken at Manchester
• John Sheehan taken at Stratford-upon-Avon
• Chris Jepson taken at Brighton *Rachel Beeson taken at Manchester
• Hudson Martins Ribeiro taken at Finnieston, Glasgow, Scotland
• Sachinda Dulanjana Witharanage taken at The Meadows, Edinburgh
• Paula Abu taken at Southbank, London
• Frederic Aranda taken at Smithfields Market, London
• Nico Froehlich taken at South East London
• Antonina Mamzenko taken at Folkestone, UK
• Claire Duquesne taken at Strathdon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, UK
• Mark Pickersgill taken at Isle of Skye
• Rachel Hope taken at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London
• Rachel Keenan taken at Bow Fiddle Rock, Scotland
• Alfie Fisher taken at Nine Elms Sky Pool, London
• Cal Cole taken at Manchester, UK
• Max Vere-Hodge taken at Ouse Viaduct, Sussex
• Jacob McDonald taken at Black Mountain Pass, Brynamman, Wales
• Lucy Barrett taken at Kew Gardens, Richmond, London
• Neil Davidson taken at Brighton Beach
• Lucy Barrett taken at St John the Baptist, W14
• Donna Jones taken at Rhossli Bay, Swansea Wales
• Teresa Medina taken at Brighton
• Alexander Ward taken at Norfolk
• Ira Giorgetti taken at Brighton

Thank you Mr Chair. This week at the Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting, we heard harrowing stories from Ukrainian civil society organisations about the human impact that President Putin’s premeditated and unjustified war on Ukraine has created.

Our colleagues from civil society described how they took shelter in basements during the Russian shelling that has rained down on villages, towns and cities across Ukraine. Every day the human cost of Russia’s indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas continues to grow. Tragically, according to the UN over 100 children have already been killed. I am grateful also to Governor Kim for joining us today and sharing the appalling impact of Russia’s invasion on his region, including the recent attack on the regional administrative building. I offer the UK’s condolences to all the victims and their families.

Civil society organisations also shone a light on the dire situation in Ukrainian cities that have been encircled by Russian troops such as Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv and Mariupol. In an effort to break the resistance of these cities, the Russian government has stooped to new lows; effectively forcing a humanitarian crisis through constant shelling and by refusing to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid to these cities. In Mariupol alone, local authorities estimate that close to 5000 people have been killed.

Yesterday many delegations had the opportunity to hear from Ukrainian speakers about the appalling human rights violations perpetrated by Russian forces in the cities under their control. The Mayor of Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov, described how Russian forces abducted him in broad daylight and held him in detention for six days, where he heard evidence of torture of other detainees. Sadly, there are many other Ukrainian local government members who have been abducted by Russian forces who have not yet been released. I would like to share the names of just some of them: Serhiy Pryima, the chair of the Melitopol District Council, Olena Plaksina a member of the Tokmak town council, Viktor Mariuniak the headman of the village of Stara Zburyivka, Mykola Masliy, a member of Kupyansk town council, and Oleksandr Medvediov, Mayor of Snovsk.

At the same event, Oleg Baturin, a journalist from Kakhovka, shared how he was held captive for eight days by Russian forces who told him that they wanted to take revenge for his journalistic activities. I am deeply grateful to the Ukrainian Ambassador for organising this meeting and to the speakers for courageously sharing their stories from yesterday.

Russia is resorting, Mr Chair, to these abhorrent tactics because they have not been able to overcome the determination of millions of Ukrainians who look to live in a free, democratic Ukraine. These brave civilians often march carrying nothing more than Ukrainian flags and are met by tanks and Russian forces who shoot at protesters. Local government representatives, journalists, priests, civil society activists and Ukrainian military veterans are all being targeted. Appallingly, there are multiple reports of sexual violence, including rape, by Russian armed forces.

I would like to pay tribute to Ukrainian civil society organisations and their courageous members for their dedicated work in shining a light on these atrocities. Their work will help to ensure that Russia is held accountable for its actions. The cooperation between the Ukrainian Government and civil society organisations is also an example to us all of how a flourishing civil society, which is free to speak its mind, enhances a country’s security – even in the gravest of circumstances.

The people and Government of the United Kingdom stand firm and resolute in our solidarity with the people of Ukraine. To that end we have provided military equipment, economic support, humanitarian aid and supported efforts to ensure accountability for war crimes – including by appointing Sir Howard Morrison QC as an independent adviser to Iryna Venediktova – to support Ukraine’s journey in seeking justice against the Russian government’s actions.

President Putin is attempting to hide the extent of the atrocities we have seen from his people and from the world. The Russian government spouts a barrage of disinformation, they attack television and radio infrastructure in Ukraine, block free media in Russia, and they detain journalists. Now they are trying to put an end to the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission’s impartial, facts-based reporting by unilaterally blocking the extension of its mandate. But, Mr Chair, as the decisive votes at the UN have shown, the international community is not fooled. The United Kingdom certainly is not fooled – no amount of disinformation or feigned pretence at troop withdrawal will distract us from what is needed to stop the bloodshed in Ukraine. Russia must end this unjustifiable war, enable humanitarian access, abide by international law and international humanitarian law, withdraw its troops and respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Thank you, Mr Chair and I ask that this statement be attached to the journal of the day.

The grand reception will showcase the ‘Best of British’ food and drink, as well as highlight the role technology and innovation will play in forging a cleaner, greener, more diverse and inclusive ‘Tomorrow’s World’.

This year’s celebration holds special significance as the UK marks Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The Queen has ruled for longer than any other Monarch in British history, becoming a much loved and respected figure across the globe. The Jubilee is a central element of an exciting year of UK culture and creativity, including the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and the BBC’s centenary.

Alex Ellis, British High Commissioner to India, said:

Her Majesty The Queen is the UK’s foremost diplomat; an incredible source of 70 years of constancy during periods of enormous social change. We pay tribute today to her exemplary devotion to a life of service and celebrate the international cooperation that she has championed throughout.

Sanjiv Mehta, Chairman and Managing Director, Hindustan Unilever Limited, said:

As a flagship British investment in India, we are delighted to be part of The Queen’s birthday celebrations. Hindustan Unilever has always believed in ‘Doing Well by Doing Good’. With purpose at the heart of our business, we will continue to create shared value and partner with India in its journey towards an equitable and sustainable future.

Mr. Amitabh Kant, Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog, is the guest of honour at today’s celebrations. A wide range of dignitaries from the Government of India, representatives from Commonwealth nations, captains of industry, and leaders from the fields of arts, culture, and sports are also expected to attend.

Further information

Free-to-use high resolution images from the event will be uploaded here.

The Queen’s Birthday Party is celebrated by British Embassies and High Commissions around the world.

Her Majesty The Queen turns 96 on 21 April. The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee will be celebrated in the UK over an extended four-day weekend in June.

Physical exhibits at the QBP today will include: The iconic London Electric Vehicle Black Cab, which also hopes to introduce their Range Extender Electric Vehicle in India; the Pavegen smart tile, which generates renewable energy using footsteps; video game developer Kwalee; British multinational toy retailer Hamleys in partnership with Reliance India; and a unique Virtual Reality Science Museum experience narrated by British astronaut Tim Peake.

For media queries, please contact:

Media queries: BHCMediaDelhi@fco.gov.uk

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• Public figures line up to back the Bill after suffering from abuse online
• UK is leading the world with groundbreaking proposals to protect people online

Public figures who have suffered online abuse, including Carol Vorderman, Peter Andre and Amber Gill, have come out in support of world-leading online safety laws following an exclusive discussion recorded at the Science Museum, London.

Digital Secretary Nadine Dorries met with several celebrities such as Emily Clarkson, ex-footballer Anton Ferdinand, The Voice finalist Okulaja, model and influencer Fadhi Mohamed, Olympic javelin thrower Tessa Sanderson and former Love Island contestant Sharon Gaffka to discuss how new online safety laws will protect people from trolls and cyberbullying and hold tech companies to account.

The meeting is available to watch in full online.

The roundtable followed the introduction of the Online Safety Bill to Parliament earlier this month – a big milestone in the journey towards making the UK’s pioneering online safety laws a reality. The bill’s second reading is due on Tuesday 19th of April. Other figures in attendance include Rosie Duffield MP and Deputy CEO of the Diana Award Alex Holmes.

Nadine Dorries met them at the Science Museum in Kensington to hear about their personal experiences of online abuse, harassment, trolling and the effect this can also have on their families and loved ones.

Digital Secretary Nadine Dorries said:

I’ve heard too many horrific stories about how online trolls have seriously impacted people’s lives. I’m determined the Online Safety Bill goes as far as it can to make a difference, especially to young people.

If we don’t act now, we’re condemning the next generation of children being exposed online to abuse, self-harm, bullying and suicide content. No parent wants that.

The discussion focused on issues those present have personal experience of – including online bullying, parents being able to trust that their children are safe on social media, the importance of free speech online and anonymity.

Carol Vorderman said:

It’s vital that the internet is safe for young people and we need to be confident they won’t experience horrendous harms. I’m glad the Bill will include protections to further tackle grooming, a subject close to my heart, both now and with the new technologies of the very near future.

Peter Andre said:

Bullying when I was a kid was face to face but when people hide behind computers the impact can be even worse. These laws will help make a huge difference and hold companies to account for protecting users.

Amber Gill said:

Social media has so many positives and it should be the kind of place people can be themselves and say what they think. I want younger people to be able to enjoy it and not fear it and laws like this will bring real change.

The new laws will protect children, tackle illegal content and protect free speech, as well as requiring social media platforms to uphold their stated terms and conditions.

If they don’t, the regulator Ofcom will work with platforms to ensure they comply and if they don’t, it will have the power to fine companies up to ten per cent of their annual global turnover – which could reach billions of pounds – to force them to fulfil their responsibilities or even block non-compliant sites.

The Bill tackles anonymous online abuse by giving users greater control over who they interact with online and the kind of content they see. The largest platforms will have to offer verification and empowerment tools to users to minimise exposure to trolls and other harmful content like self harm promotion or racist abuse.

In recent weeks ministers have also strengthened the Bill in a number of ways so that it goes further to protect people – including by bringing paid-for scam adverts and sites that host pornography into the scope of the Bill and making companies proactively tackle the most harmful illegal content and criminal activity quicker.

The Science Museum is home to an exhibition on the ‘Information Age’, celebrating more than 200 years of innovation in information and communication technology through the eyes of those affected by the first wave of technology, including the internet – the computer Tim Berners-Lee used to invent the World Wide Web is featured in the exhibition.

The Online Safety Bill will now further change the online landscape in the UK and set the standards for a better, safer internet.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Link to the full-length video can be found here.

A full list of the attendees is as follows –

• Alex Holmes (The Diana Award)
• Amber Gill
• Anton Ferdinand
• Carol Vorderman
• Emily Clarkson
• Fadhi Mohamed
• Okulaja
• Peter Andre
• Rosie Duffield MP
• Sharon Gaffka
• Tessa Sanderson

Additional quotes from attendees:

Anton Ferdinand said:

Unless the social media companies are regulated by an independent body, then wider society and not just the blue ticks will continue to suffer from all forms of discrimination and hate. So I am happy the bill is addressing this.

Okulaja said:

Abuse on social media can’t be switched off for kids today. My experience on The Voice led to trolling that affected my family as well as me and made me passionate about speaking out – I welcome these laws.

Alex Holmes said:

At The Diana Award we know it can feel hard to escape online bullying – especially for those with protected characteristics, who research tell us are disproportionately affected by online abuse. We want to see legislation that makes that difference to keep both adults and children safe online.

Sharon Gaffka said:

I care about how young women are treated online – I don’t want anyone to experience the racial abuse I’ve received and that’s why I’m speaking up about it. Abuse is not acceptable and I hope the Bill will make this clear.