UK PM Johnson Admits He Misled the Parliament on Sanctions Against Russian Billionaire Abramovich
15:10 GMT 23.02.2022 (Updated: 15:18 GMT 28.05.2023)
© REUTERS / UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor
Subscribe
On Tuesday, UK authorities announced sanctions against five Russian banks and three individuals close to Russian president Vladimir Putin - billionaires Gennady Timchenko, and Boris and Igor Rotenberg. The move came in response to Russia’s recognition of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s republics.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has admitted that he misled Parliament when he was commenting on Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, the owner of English football club Chelsea, facing punitive measures from Britain.
The premier made the statement after Labour MP Margaret Hodge criticised the recent sanctions regime against Russia, which the politician described as containing "serious flaws".
The premier made the statement after Labour MP Margaret Hodge criticised the recent sanctions regime against Russia, which the politician described as containing "serious flaws".
"It may not affect oligarchs close to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, who do not own an official position at [Russian companies] or own less than 50 percent of shares. Unlike US legislation, it is limited in how we can sanction Russian government officials. Will the prime minister look again at the sanctions regime so that, in the words of the Foreign Secretary [Liz Truss], nothing is off the table?" Margaret Hodge asked, mentioning several Russian billionaires, including Roman Abramovich.
Johnson responded by saying that Abramovich is "already facing" sanctions, which prompted a remark from another Labour MP, Chris Bryant, who said that the PM’s remark was "untrue". This sparked claims that the prime minister had misled the parliament.
Commenting on the incident, Johnson’s official spokesman said that the PM "misspoke", adding that the parliamentary record would be corrected.
The remark from the Downing Street, however, has failed to calm critics. Tom Tugendhat, Johnson’s fellow party member and chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said he wants the government to go “much further and much faster” when it comes to sanctions.
So far the United Kingdom has sanctioned five Russian banks (Rossiya, IS Bank, General Bank, Promsvyazbank and the Black Sea Bank) and three individuals – billionaires Gennady Timchenko, and uncle and nephew Boris and Igor Rotenberg.
The punitive measures came in response to the Kremlin’s decision to recognise the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s republics (DPR and LNR), two breakaway provinces, which announced independence from Ukraine in 2014, provoking bitter conflict with Kiev.
The decision was announced during an emergency meeting of Russia’s Security Council and later approved unanimously by the Russian Parliament.
The recognition of the two breakaway republics was made after the DPR and LPR accused Ukraine of shelling its territories, a claim Kiev has denied. Since the start of the conflict in 2014, Ukrainian authorities have accused Russia of sending weapons and troops to the breakaway republics to support the separatists, a claim the Kremlin has rejected.
Commenting on the incident, Johnson’s official spokesman said that the PM "misspoke", adding that the parliamentary record would be corrected.
The remark from the Downing Street, however, has failed to calm critics. Tom Tugendhat, Johnson’s fellow party member and chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said he wants the government to go “much further and much faster” when it comes to sanctions.
So far the United Kingdom has sanctioned five Russian banks (Rossiya, IS Bank, General Bank, Promsvyazbank and the Black Sea Bank) and three individuals – billionaires Gennady Timchenko, and uncle and nephew Boris and Igor Rotenberg.
The punitive measures came in response to the Kremlin’s decision to recognise the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s republics (DPR and LNR), two breakaway provinces, which announced independence from Ukraine in 2014, provoking bitter conflict with Kiev.
The decision was announced during an emergency meeting of Russia’s Security Council and later approved unanimously by the Russian Parliament.
The recognition of the two breakaway republics was made after the DPR and LPR accused Ukraine of shelling its territories, a claim Kiev has denied. Since the start of the conflict in 2014, Ukrainian authorities have accused Russia of sending weapons and troops to the breakaway republics to support the separatists, a claim the Kremlin has rejected.
