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The United Kingdom imposed sanctions on Belarus for its role in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The measures targeting Belarusian individuals and organizations came after dictator Alexander Lukashenko allowed Russian forces to enter Ukraine from his country.
Lukashenko is already subject to widespread Western sanctions for his role in human rights abuses.
Four senior defense officials and two military companies were sanctioned with immediate effect under Britain’s anti-Russia sanctions regime.
Among those sanctioned is the Belarusian chief of the general staff, Major General Viktor Golevich, who the UK says is “responsible for directing the actions of the Belarusian armed forces, which supported and enabled the Russian invasion of Ukraine” and “approved the deployment of Russian forces”. Troops along Belarus’s border with Ukraine.
Also targeted is Major General Andrei Bordeko, Deputy Minister of Defense for Logistics and Head of Logistics of the Belarusian Armed Forces. Major General Sergei Simonenko, Deputy Minister of Defense for Armaments and Head of Armament of the Belarusian Armed Forces; and Deputy Defense Minister Major General Andrei Zhuk.
Two companies were also targeted, JSC 558 Aircraft Repair Plant, which provides maintenance and service for military aircraft, and JSC Integral, a manufacturer of military semiconductors.
“We are doing economic damage to Putin and his cronies,” Secretary of State Liz Truss said. “We will not rest until Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are restored.”
Lukashenko’s regime actively assists in the illegal invasion of Russia and will make him feel the economic consequences of his support for Putin.
“There will be nowhere to hide. Nothing, and no one, is off the table.”
Fears of an escalation of the crisis intensified on Tuesday after news emerged that Belarus had joined the invasion of Ukraine.
It is believed that President Alexander Lukashenko’s forces entered the northern Chernihiv region on Tuesday morning.
A statement of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, on Tuesday morning, said that the Belarusian soldiers entered the Ukrainian territory.
President Lukashenko said his country was deploying more troops on its border with Ukraine “to stop any provocation against Belarus.”
“These are well-trained rapid deployment groups that are ready to stop any provocation and any military action against Belarus,” the president was quoted as saying by the official Belta news agency.
Videos of a Security Council meeting show Lukashenko pointing to a map showing Ukraine divided into four sectors, with arrows appearing to show troop movements and infrastructure targets.
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