Monday’s sanctions “send a clear message,” British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said in a statement released by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office. “We will not tolerate your lies and interference, and we are coming after you.” Photo by Andy Rain/EPA-EFE
The British government announced on Monday a series of new sanctions on three high-level Russian society figures and agencies of Russia allegedly trying to “undermine and destabilize” Ukrainian democracy.
Monday’s sanctions “send a clear message,” British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said in a statement released by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office. “We will not tolerate your lies and interference, and we are coming after you.” Advertisement
The United States applauded the move.
The FCDO said it targeted the Russian public relations “Social Design Agency” along with its counterparts Structura National Technologies and ANO DIALOG.
In addition, it also targets SDA founder Ilya Andreevich Gambashidze and its project director, Andrey Naumovich Perla. Along with Structura owner and SDA’s CEO Nikolay Aleksandrovich Tupikin.
Britain alleges the PR firms were responsible for a “vast malign online network” that is commonly known as “Doppelganger.”
It’s alleged the crew lead content creation for things like fake social media posts, counterfeit documents and deepfake material that “has been pushed out to audiences in English, German and French through a complex online network,” according to Britain’s FCDO.
Lammy, who assumed the role in July following the Labor Party’s landslide parliamentary victory that saw its return to power after more than a decade, said Russian President Vladimir Putin is “so desperate” to undermine European support for Ukraine that “he is now resorting to clumsy, ineffective efforts to try and stoke unrest,” he added. Advertisement
Britain contends the SDA crafted a web of at least 120 websites “spoofing existing news and government websites,” it’s alleged.
Meanwhile, the United States says it “welcomes” Britain’s new set of sanctions.
According to the British government, multiple nations and entities have joined in calling-out SDA’s “underhand activity” globally including the United States, France, Germany, Australia and the European External Action Service.
“An open, free, and fact-based information environment is central to a well-functioning democratic society,” read part of a statement by a U.S. State Department spokesperson.
When “malign actors” working as tools of the Kremlin exploit and undermine that environment, according to DOS, “democracies must respond.”
