Sanctions vs. Profit: UK Gov't to Justify Arms Exports to Russia

Despite an embargo imposed on Moscow in 2014, the UK continued arms trade with Russia.

MOSCOW (Sputnik), Alexander Mosesov — The UK government is due to respond to an inquiry by the parliamentary Committees on Arms Export Controls (CAEC) on the high figures of arms sales to Russia despite an embargo imposed in 2014 over the crisis in Ukraine, CAEC's media officer told Sputnik on Monday.

On March 20, CAEC released an annual report scrutinizing UK arms exports and the policies of arms control. In particular, the report states that the country granted Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) worth more than 131.5 million pounds ($196 million) for arms exports to Russia.

"The fact that the figure for SIELs to Russia is a high one is precisely the point the Committee are making. We are awaiting an answer from Government to justify the figure," Alex Paterson told Sputnik.

Paterson added that the UK government has two months to respond to the CAEC.

The media officer concluded saying that the CAEC awaits the government's response on the steps needed to curb the number of license applications approved for countries seen by the United Kingdom as authoritarian regimes.

Overall, according to the annual report, the UK government approved SIELs worth 11.9 billion pounds ($17.7 billion) to 28 countries seen by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as Countries of Human Rights concern.