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Ukraine war: UK announces fresh economic sanctions on Belarus

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. The UK government has accused Belarus of 'supporting' Russia's war in Ukraine. Photo: Reuters/Sputnik/Aleksey Nikolskyi/Kremlin
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. The UK government has accused Belarus of 'supporting' Russia's war in Ukraine. Photo: Reuters/Sputnik/Aleksey Nikolskyi/Kremlin (Sputnik Photo Agency / reuters)

The UK government plans to introduce additional economic, trade and transport sanctions on Belarus over its support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The new package, announced on Monday, will take effect from Tuesday, will include import and export bans on products worth around £60m ($73m), the foreign office has said.

The embargo will block exports of oil refining goods, advanced technology components such as those used in quantum computing and luxury goods, including British artwork and designer handbags.

It will also bar imports of Belarusian iron and steel into the country.

Britain will also ban more Belarusian firms from issuing debt and securities in London.

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In a statement on Monday, the government accused the "Lukashenko regime" of continuing to "actively facilitate" Russian president Vladimir Putin’s "illegal invasion".

"The Belarus regime has actively facilitated Putin’s invasion, letting Russia use its territory to pincer Ukraine — launching troops and missiles from their border and flying Russian jets through their airspace," it added.

"Lukashenko has also openly supported the Kremlin’s narrative, claiming that Kyiv was 'provoking Russia' in order to justify Putin’s bloody invasion."

Read more: Oil prices: G7 mulls Russian oil price cap and gold import ban

The latest government measures come after it already raised import tariffs on a range of goods from Belarus by 35% and sanctioned Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko and senior government officials.

The UK along with its Western allies, have been imposing sanctions against Russian elites, banks and strategic industries since the Kremlin invaded Ukraine in February.

Moscow has previously said that it is conducting a "special military operation" in Ukraine.

Watch: Russia claims control of Luhansk region of Donbas