Review of UK sanctions of 15 October 2025

On 15 October 2025, the United Kingdom announced new blocking sanctions targeting several dozen Russian and foreign individuals and legal entities, as well as vessels that are part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet.” 

We summarise the most significant designations below.

Expansion of the list of sanctioned persons

UK blocking sanctions targeted five individuals and 34 legal entities, including:

• Russia’s largest oil companies PJSC Rosneft Oil Company and PJSC Oil Company Lukoil, as well as their foreign structures;
• Nayara Energy Limited, an Indian oil and gas company that owns one of the largest oil refineries in India;
• Chinese oil terminal operators Shandong Baogang International Port Co Ltd, Shandong Haixin Port Co Ltd, and Shandong Jingang Port Co Ltd, as well as LNG terminal operator National Pipeline Group Beihai Liquefied Natural Gas Co Ltd;
• Russian banks JSC BBR Bank, JSC Solid Bank, JSC Transstroibank, and PJS SCBP Primsotsbank, as well as JSC National Card Payment System (NSPK), which operates the Mir payment system; and
• suppliers of high-tech equipment, electronics, logistics, and IT services from Russia, Hong Kong, the UAE, Turkey, and Thailand, as well as the owners and chief executives of some of them (in particular, Absolut Trade LLC, ARS Global LLC, Hartis DV LLC, China Thai Corporation Group Co Ltd, Horsway Tech (HK) Co Ltd, Inoi International FZ LLC, Izzition E technology Co Ltd, etc).

Furthermore, the UK blocking sanctions also targeted eight LNG tankers and 44 vessels involved in the transportation of Russian oil and included in the so-called “shadow fleet.”

The full list of individuals and entities subject to UK blocking sanctions of 15 October 2025 is available here.

Consequences of the UK blocking sanctions

As a reminder, the blocking sanctions impose the following obligations on UK PersonsAny individuals within the UK, irrespective of nationality; UK citizens, irrespective of where they are located; UK registered legal entities and their branches; and any persons on board any aircraft or vessel under the jurisdiction of the UK (“UK Persons”). UK sanctions restrictions targeting Russia apply to British Overseas Territories (excluding Bermuda and Gibraltar).:

• to freeze (block) assets of designated persons: funds, securities, immovable and movable property, etc; and
• to refrain from making funds or economic resources available, directly or indirectly, to or for the benefit of designated persons (in the absence of prior authorisation in the form of a licence).

The abovementioned restrictive measures also apply to legal entities that are directly or indirectly owned (by more than 50%) or controlled by designated persons.

General licences

As at the date of this legal update, the UK has issued two new general licences in connection with the abovementioned sanctions restrictions:

• General Licence No. INT/2025/7539056 authorises the winding down of any transactions involving PJSC Rosneft Oil Company and PJSC Oil Company Lukoil, and companies directly or indirectly owned or controlled by them. This licence is valid until 29 November 2025; and
• General Licence No. INT/2025/7538856 authorises the winding down of, or divestment from, any transactions involving Nayara Energy Limited, National Pipeline Group Beihai Liquified Natural Gas Co Ltd, Shandong Yulong Petrochemical Company Ltd, Shandong Baogang

International Port Co Ltd, Jingang Port Co Ltd, Shandong Haixing Port Co Ltd, and companies directly or indirectly owned or controlled by them. This licence is valid until 14 November 2025.

Other UK measures

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s official press release also stated that the UK will ban imports of oil products refined in third countries from Russian-origin crude oil. As we previously reported, the European Union imposed a similar prohibition in July 2025 as part of its 18th sanctions package.