Britain Imposes Sanctions On Russian Generals, Including Commander Suspected Of Involvement In The Bucha Massacre

Russian President Vladimir Putin with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and a number of top military officials. (Wikimedia Commons/Kremlin.ru)

JAKARTA - Britain has imposed 26 new sanctions targeting Russian military generals responsible for atrocities in Ukraine, as well as individuals and businesses supporting Russia's armed forces.

"Today's new wave of sanctions hit generals and defense companies covered in blood," Foreign Minister Liz Truss said in a statement.

Britain, which has sought to play a central role in the Western response to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, has imposed hundreds of sanctions, such as asset freezes and travel bans on billionaires and prominent Russian politicians including President Vladimir Putin.

The latest sanctions include an asset freeze and a travel ban on Azatbek Omurbekov, a Russian army commander who the British government says was involved in the 'Bucha massacre'.

Britain says its new sanctions also target Kalashnikov Concern, a maker of army equipment whose weapons have been used by Russian troops in Ukraine; Military Industrial Company, the main supplier of weapons and military equipment to Russia to the largest Russian leasing company GTLK.

Ukraine and most major western countries have accused Russia of committing war crimes in Bucha for several weeks when the northern city was under Russian occupation.

Images of dead civilians that emerged after Russian troops withdrew, sparked an international uproar and led to further sanctions against Russia by the United States, Britain, and the European Union.

Meanwhile, Russia denies its accusations of killing civilians in Bucha, calling the footage and photographs of the bodies a "staged show" by Kyiv.

The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office said it had concluded that Russian attacks on Ukrainian government buildings, schools and hospitals since March 10 were intentional based, among other things, on the type of civilian targets attacked, the frequency of attacks, and the volume of ammunition used.

Earlier this week, Ukraine said the second phase of the war had begun with the 'Battle of Donbas' in the east of the country, after failing to capture the capital Kyiv and being forced to withdraw from the north.

Russia calls its attack a special military operation for the demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine. Kyiv and its Western allies reject it as a false pretext for a war of illegal aggression.