UK bans services exports to Russia and sanctions Russian media outlets
May 4, 2022, 4:47 pm

UK bans services exports to Russia and sanctions Russian media outlets

Liz Truss-Foreign Ministe/Foreign Commonwealth and Development official Facebook page

Retuers: Britain banned all service sector exports to Russia on Wednesday (May 4) and imposed sanctions on 63 individuals and organisations, its latest wave of measures to increase pressure on Moscow to reverse course and pull back from Ukraine.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been a leading supporter of Ukraine since Russia invaded on Feb. 24, framing London's sanctions against Moscow as a way of punishing President Vladimir Putin over a war the Russian leader describes as a "special operation" to denazify its neighbour.

The measures, the government said, would cut off Russia's access to Britain's management consulting, accounting and PR services, cementing a decision many had already taken for themselves, including the so-called Big Four accounting and consultancy firms -- Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC.

Many other services companies such as advertising groups have also sought to sell or close their Russian operations while some law firms have not taken on new clients.

UK bans services exports to Russia and sanctions Russian media outlets (Photo: Pixabay)

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said in a statement: "Doing business with Putin's regime is morally bankrupt and helps fund a war machine that is causing untold suffering across Ukraine."

"Cutting Russia's access to British services will put more pressure on the Kremlin and ultimately help ensure Putin fails in Ukraine."

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Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said Britain was "ratcheting up economic pressure on the Kremlin to change course".

Western countries have sanctioned dozens of individuals and companies in Russia since the invasion, often choreographed measures that Putin has said would only hurt the West because of higher food and energy prices. read more

Earlier, the European Union also took aim at accounting and PR services in proposals for its sixth and toughest round of sanctions against Russia. read more

UK promises further $375 million in military aid for Ukraine

Britain also imposed sanctions on individual journalists and media organisations.

Tech and Digital Economy Minister Chris Philp said: "For too long RT and Sputnik have churned out dangerous nonsense dressed up as serious news to justify Putin's invasion of Ukraine."

"These outlets have already been booted off the airwaves in Britain and we've barred anyone from doing business with them. Now we've moved to pull the plug on their websites, social media accounts and apps to further stop the spread of their lies."

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”