UK Maintains Sanctions on Russian Oligarchs Usmanov and Fridman Despite EU Move

What happened

Bloomberg, citing unnamed sources, reports that UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has communicated to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that he does not support the European Union’s recent decision to remove sanctions on Russian businessmen Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman.

Outside Brief is treating this as a source-led account. Any disputed responsibility, casualty figure or battlefield claim should be read as unconfirmed/hearsay unless confirmed by another reliable source. The statement by Burnham reflects the UK’s intention to maintain sanctions on these oligarchs, contrasting with the EU’s recent backtrack. However, the article does not provide further official details or explanations from either the UK government or the EU regarding the rationale behind their respective decisions.

Usmanov and Fridman remain significant figures often associated with Russian economic influence, and keeping sanctions on them is seen by the UK as a continued pressure point against entities perceived to have ties to the Kremlin. The EU’s reversal has raised questions in Kyiv about the cohesion of Western support.

Known from the source

• UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham reportedly told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy he does not support the EU’s decision to lift sanctions on Usmanov and Fridman.
• The EU previously imposed sanctions on Russian oligarchs including Usmanov and Fridman but has recently backtracked on those sanctions.

What remains unclear

The report does not specify how this disagreement might affect broader diplomatic or economic cooperation between the UK, EU, and Ukraine, nor does it confirm any direct consequences for the conflict dynamics on the ground.

What remains unclear: Verify Bloomberg’s sourcing for Burnham’s statement to Zelenskyy. Obtain official UK government confirmation of the UK’s current sanctions stance on Usmanov and Fridman. Confirm the EU’s position and details of the sanctions backtrack from official EU sources. Check for any Ukrainian government statements or reactions.

Evidence note

Outside Brief has kept this brief source-led and attributed. Claims should be read alongside the original source linked below.

Original source: New Voice Ukraine. Open the source.