The UK has imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU, after the final report of the Dawn Sturgess Inquiry concluded that President Vladimir Putin personally authorised the 2018 Salisbury operation that killed a British citizen.
According to the Government, the measures designate the GRU in its entirety and target 11 individuals linked to Russian state hostile activity. They include eight cyber officers accused of operations against UK nationals, including the malware attack on Yulia Skripal and the attempted murder of her and her father using the nerve agent Novichok.
The inquiry found that the GRU’s actions on UK soil directly led to the death of Dawn Sturgess, who was exposed to discarded Novichok. The chemical, developed by Russia in breach of international conventions, triggered one of the most serious state-sponsored attacks in modern UK history.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the findings underline the danger posed by the Kremlin. “The Salisbury poisonings shocked the nation and today’s findings are a grave reminder of the Kremlin’s disregard for innocent lives,” he said. “Dawn’s needless death was a tragedy. The UK will always stand up to Putin’s brutal regime and call out his murderous machine for what it is.”
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper described the GRU as an ongoing threat. “Putin and his GRU agents are an active threat to Britain’s citizens, our security and our prosperity,” she said. “We will not tolerate this brazen and despicable aggression on British soil.”
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the attack demonstrated Russia’s lack of regard for human life and international norms. “The use of Novichok in Salisbury was an attack not just on individuals, but on our country and our values,” she said.
The Foreign Office has summoned the Russian ambassador in response to the report, demanding an explanation and an end to Russia’s hybrid operations against the UK and NATO allies. These include cyberattacks, disinformation, sabotage and work with criminal proxies.
Individuals sanctioned
The Government has published the full list of designated actors alongside the GRU itself:
- Denis Aleksandrovich Smolyaninov
- Vladimir Lipchenko
- Yuriy Alekseyevich Sizov
- Boris Alekseyevich Antonov
- Anatoliy Vladimirovich Istomin
- Igor Andreyevich Bochkа
- Aleksey Andreyevich Umets
- Denis Igorevich Denisenko
- Dmitriy Yuryevich Goloshubov
- Pavel Vyacheslavovich Yershov
- Nikolai Yuryevich Kozachek
Officials say today’s sanctions follow earlier measures in July 2025 and form part of a broader push to counter persistent Russian activity threatening UK security and European stability.
I love how HMG keep poking the Bear with next to sod all to back it up militarily, expansion wise.
On another article they are effectively hiding behind alliances with Norway on the GIUK while doing little to expand our own defensive, and more importantly offensive capability. Where is PrSM for example? The Army has a upgrade and expansion of Deep Fires underway, buy it!! No, we might be going all political again and looking to develop something new with Germany because of worries about buying American.
How long will that take?
Will it draw funding from PrSM and Deep Fires that was underway leaving it dead in the water.
As for this and the GRU, serious question, just what will deploying sanctions against these people actually achieve in the real world? They remain in Russia. Do they have mansions over here, like some of the big oil barons.
To me, yet more Grandstanding on the big boys stage with little to back it up beyond tough words and hiding behind NATO.
7 years after an attack is appauling. It is literally going to take ruzzian drones and missiles hitting UK towns and cities for the government to take anything seriously.