The UK Government has today announced sanctions against individuals responsible for the arbitrary detention and mistreatment of Ukrainian civilians, and the deportation, indoctrination, and militarisation of Ukrainian children. These measures aim to hold perpetrators accountable.
The announcement follows the Second International Conference in Toronto, convened by Canada, Norway, and Ukraine, which focused on the unlawful deportation and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children. The UK Foreign Office Minister, Lord Wood of Anfield, represented the UK at this conference.
Building on the conference's work, the United Kingdom plans to host a small group of governments, international organisations, experts, and civil society in London. This meeting will aim to strengthen coordination and develop practical pathways for the release and return of civilian detainees.
The UK also reiterated its call for the immediate release of its Special Monitoring Mission colleagues, Vadym Golda, Maksym Petrov, and Dmytro Shabanov, who remain unlawfully detained by Russian authorities, alongside all illegally detained Ukrainian civilians.