UK sanctions Russian army chiefs with 'Ukrainian blood on hands'

The Foreign Office announced a swathe of sanctions against "generals committing atrocities on the front line, as well as individuals and businesses" supporting President Vladimir Putin's military.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss tweeted that the sanctions were on "those with Ukrainian blood on their hands".

The UK government has concluded that Russian bombing of civilian infrastructure is "intentional targeting", the Foreign Office statement said.

Those blacklisted include Lieutenant Colonel Azatbek Omurbekov, reportedly the head of a Russian military unit that has committed alleged war crimes in the town of Bucha, near Kyiv. He has been nicknamed "the Butcher of Bucha" by English-language media.

Three generals are also targeted, as well as defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov, according to an updated list on the government website.

The acting emergency situations minister Alexander Chupriyan is also added.

Organisations added to the blacklist include the Kalashnikov arms concern, famous for producing the AK-47. The UK said Russian troops have used its weapons in Ukraine.

The UK also placed sanctions on the Russian Railways monopoly and its CEO Oleg Belozyorov, calling it a "key enabler for transporting Russian military equipment".

Separately, the UK government announced further trade sanctions including import bans on Russian silver, wood products and caviar.

Finance minister Rishi Sunak said the new measures were aimed at "imposing further economic pain on Putin's economy for his barbaric and unjustified attacks on a sovereign nation".