British sanctions Russian intelligence officials targeting Mustang Theater and toxic spy family
LONDON (AP) – Britain approved on Friday the Russian military intelligence force and its officials said it was preparing for a 2022 bomb attack on the theater in southern Ukraine, killing hundreds of civilians.
The British Foreign Ministry said it approved 18 officers working for Russian military intelligence, known as the GRU. It said officers were also charged with targeting a family of former Russian spies and later poisoned by nerve agents.
It said the units also carried out a cyberattack campaign over the years aimed at sowing chaos in Europe and undermining democratic institutions.
“The Gru spies are launching a campaign aimed at undermining Europe, undermining Ukraine’s sovereignty and threatening the safety of British citizens,” said British Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
The British Foreign Ministry said that on March 15, 2022, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, Unit 26165 was conducted online reconnaissance at the civilian bomb shelter in Mariopol, southern Ukraine and eastern Ukraine. One of the targets was the Mustang Theater, where Russian bombs dodge civilians who drew from Russian bombs painted the word “child” outside in a bid to avoid them.
The next day, according to an Associated Press investigation, the next day, the theater was attacked by Russian air strikes, with about 600 people, including many children.
In 2013, officials from the same department targeted the daughter of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal on malware, the Foreign Ministry said. In 2018, Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned at Novichok, a neurosurgeon in Salisbury, England, and the British government said it was organized by Russian intelligence groups.
The sanctions are also directed at the African initiative, which the Foreign Ministry says has hired Russian intelligence officials to conduct information operations in Africa, including undermining public health plans and destabilizing countries.
The Associated Press is tracking Russia’s sabotage and sabotage campaign throughout Europe, ranging from cyberattacks and propaganda to arson and assassination.
Since the invasion, Western officials have carried out more than 70 different attacks on Russia. The military intelligence department approved on Friday also targets foreign aid from Kiev, ports, infrastructure and border crossings, as well as technology companies, the Foreign Ministry said.
Although the effectiveness of sanctions against GRU officials may be limited, the Foreign Ministry said the goal is to raise awareness of Russian campaigns and increase costs for individuals working for them, including making it harder for them to travel.
