Britain announced on Thursday that it is imposing sanctions against the Russian defence company Kronstadt, which is the main manufacturer of drones. The British defence ministry has declared that the sanction will “damage the Russian defence industry and limit their ability to replace lost drones.”

Along with the sanction on drone manufacturing, Britain’s foreign secretary also announced 65 new Russian sanctions to cut off vital industries fuelling the war in Ukraine.

According to a press release by the British government, the new sanctions “target key industries supporting Russia’s illegal invasion, including Russian Railways and defence company Kronshtadt, the main producer of Russian drones.”

A major organisation of Russian mercenaries called ‘The Wagner Group’ reportedly tasked with assassinating President Zelenskyy has also been sanctioned. Since Russia’s invasion on February 24, the UK has now sanctioned over a thousand individuals and businesses under the Russian sanction regime.

Britain’s announcement was accompanied by several other western countries imposing sanctions on Russia. The United States also has plans to expand its sanctions on Russia, which will specifically target members of the Russian parliament and the central bank's gold reserves.

Meanwhile, Ukraine is appealing to a Chinese maker of civilian drones to block what the Ukrainian government says is their use by the Russian army to target missile attacks.

Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Federov’s appeal to DJI Technology Co., publicized on Twitter, highlights the tensions over Ukraine for Chinese companies. Foreign Minister Wang Yi said this month Moscow is Beijing’s “most important strategic partner” at a time when Western tech and other companies have withdrawn from Russia over its Feb. 24 invasion.

Russian forces “are using DJI products in order to navigate their missile,” Federov wrote in a letter to DJI. He appealed to DJI to deactivate drones in Ukraine that were purchased and activated in Russia, Syria or Lebanon, “Block your products that are helping Russia to kill the Ukrainians!”

DJI, in a letter on its own Twitter account, responded that it can’t deactivate individual drones but can impose geofencing, or software restrictions that usually are used to keep drones away from airports or other sensitive areas. The company said that would affect all DJI drones in Ukraine.

Image courtesy: Peter Byrne/AP