Among the GRU units sanctioned, cyber Unit 26165 was accused of conducting digital reconnaissance that enabled Russian missile strikes in Ukraine, including the deadly 2022 bombing of the Mariupol theater. British authorities said the unit also disrupted port and transport systems in the U.S., France, Germany, and Poland to hinder military assistance to Kyiv.

Unit 74455, another GRU group, was blamed for a 2023 cyberattack that disabled Ukraine’s largest telecommunications provider. The UK also formally sanctioned Unit 29155, which had previously been linked to the 2018 nerve-agent poisoning of ex-Russian agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England. British officials now say that malware was placed on Yulia Skripal’s phone to track her movements prior to the attack.

London Targets Propaganda Networks And Warns Of Ongoing Threats

In addition to the GRU, the UK sanctioned three operatives associated with “African Initiative,” a Russian-run propaganda outlet accused of spreading Kremlin-aligned disinformation in several African countries. Officials warned that Russia has increasingly outsourced sabotage efforts to criminal groups and is likely to continue its hybrid tactics.

While largely symbolic—none of the individuals sanctioned are believed to have assets in the UK—the measures align with similar EU sanctions and reflect NATO’s growing alarm. Both the European Union and NATO issued statements condemning the Russian operations, calling them a serious threat to European security.

British intelligence assessments show that Russian hybrid attacks tripled between 2023 and 2024. Analysts warn that public exposure and legal tools are now the primary means of deterring future incidents as kinetic retaliation remains off the table.