Sanctions against Russia
23 Commons Library Research Briefing, 22 March 2023
Transport sanctions
Shipping
On 28 February 2022, the Department of Transport wrote to all UK ports
asking them not to provide access to any Russian flagged, registered, owned,
controlled, chartered or operated vessels.
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In that letter, the Department said: "further detailed sanctions against
Russian shipping are being developed". On 1 March the Government
confirmed that:
Government Ministers have now signed legislation banning all ships that are
Russian owned, operated, controlled, chartered, registered or flagged from
entering British ports. That was effective from 3 pm this afternoon.
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The detail is set out in the Russia (Sanctions) (EU exit) (Amendment) (No.4)
Regulations 2022 and the Russia (Sanctions) (EU exit) (Amendment) (No.6)
Regulations 2022.
The UK Chamber of Shipping said banning these ships will be "complex":
It is right the UK government considers a range of hard-hitting sanctions
following the unprovoked attack on Ukraine. The banning of ships with Russian
interests from UK ports will put further pressure on the Russian President's
military objectives. It will however be complex and require new legislation. We
will work closely with HMG to ensure that its measures have the best effect.
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Airline sector
A ban on Russian flag carrier, Aeroflot, was one of the first sanctions
measures imposed (see above).
Further measures were then taken to ban all Russian aircraft from overflying
or landing in the UK, and to detain aircraft (see below).
On 19 May the Government announced further sanctions on Russia's major
airlines in order to prevent them from selling their un-used landing slots at UK
airports, which are collectively estimated to be worth £50 million.
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Further trade sanctions
Under the Government's rolling programme of sanctions, further restrictive
measures against strategic sectors of the Russian economy have been
incrementally introduced. A significant package of export bans on goods and
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Twitter account of Grant Shapps MP, 28 February 2022
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HC Deb 1 March 2022, Sanctions, c991
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UK Chamber of Shipping, Statement following the banning of Russian ships from UK ports, 28
February 2022
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Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Press release, 19 May 2022 and HM Treasury,
Financial Sanctions Notice, 19 May 2022
