The United Kingdom has imposed sanctions on 18 Russian military intelligence officers, holding them responsible for a series of serious actions, including a deadly bombing in Ukraine and a broad cyber campaign aimed at disrupting Europe.
The British government said the officers work for the GRU, Russia’s military intelligence agency.
These individuals are accused of helping coordinate a 2022 airstrike on a theater in Mariupol, southern Ukraine.
On March 15, 2022, GRU Unit 26165 reportedly conducted online searches of civilian shelters in Mariupol and Kharkiv.
The next day, an airstrike hit the Mariupol Drama Theater, where many civilians had taken refuge.
An investigation by the Associated Press estimated that around 600 people, including many children, were killed in the attack.
In addition to their role in the Ukraine war, these officers have been linked to long-running cyber activities that targeted European infrastructure, government institutions, and public services.
The UK says the campaign also included attacks on technology companies, ports, foreign aid channels, and border crossings.
The same GRU unit is said to have targeted the daughter of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal with malware back in 2013.
Five years later, Skripal and his daughter were poisoned with a nerve agent in Salisbury, England, in an attack widely blamed on Russian intelligence.
Also sanctioned was the Africa Initiative, a group accused of spreading disinformation and working with Russian intelligence to influence events in several African countries.
The group allegedly disrupted public health programs and created instability in targeted regions.
While the sanctions may not directly affect the GRU officers’ day-to-day operations, UK officials say they aim to disrupt their travel and international activities, as well as draw attention to Russia’s global campaigns of sabotage and interference.