NCA secures first convictions for breach of UK sanctions

Dmitriy Ovsyannikov, the former governor of Sevastopol, has become the first person to be convicted of breaching UK sanctions. He was found guilty of sanctions circumvention and money laundering after receiving £76,000 and a Mercedes from relatives. Ovsyannikov has been under sanctions since 2017 for his role in the illegal annexation of Crimea. His brother, Aleksey Ovsyannikov, was also convicted of enabling the circumvention of sanctions, including by purchasing a car for Dmitry.

This decision sends an important signal that the UK's sanctions are being effectively enforced. The FCDO's sanctions minister stressed that the government is strongly committed to increasing pressure on Russian oligarchs who support the war in Ukraine. Julius Capon, prosecutor at the Crown Prosecution Service, stressed the importance of sanctions in stopping Russia's military actions.

Source: National Crime Agency