Look up amendments to the Russia sanctions regulations
Source: gov.uk (2025-09-25)

For legal and other specialist users: a list of statutory instruments (SIs) that have made changes, and outlines of the main changes made.

These outlines are not comprehensive. For more details see the explanatory note or refer to the full statutory instrument.

2020: SIs that have made amendments

Sanctions (EU Exit) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No.2) Regulations 2020 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/590/contents/made)
- make corrections and amendments to the Iran, Venezuela, Burma, Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Belarus, Zimbabwe, Syria, Russia, Chemical Weapons, Burundi and Guinea sanctions regulations
- make revocations of the asset-freezing and export control legislation which has been superseded
Came into force 31 December 2020. See the explanatory note (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/590/note/made).

Sanctions (EU Exit) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No.4) Regulations 2020 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/951/contents)
- make amendments to the Iran, Venezuela, Burma, Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Belarus, Zimbabwe, Syria, Russia, Chemical Weapons, Burundi, Guinea, Cyber, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Nicaragua sanctions regulations
- introduce a new exception to validate licences issued under the law as it applies in a British Overseas Territory or Crown Dependency
Came into force 31 December 2020. See the explanatory note (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/951/note).

2022: SIs that have made amendments

Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/123/contents/made)
- broaden the definition of an ‘involved person’ to include a person who is or has been involved in ‘obtaining a benefit from or supporting the Government of Russia’
Came into force 10 February 2022. See the explanatory note (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/123/note/made).

Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2022 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/194/contents/made)
- add new financial sanctions to extend sanctions prohibitions to a broader range of transferable securities and money market instruments and loans and credit
- introduce further restrictions on correspondent banking relationships and processing of sterling payments
- introduce a power for the Secretary of State to designate persons for the purposes of that provision
Came into force 1 March 2022. See the explanatory note (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/194/note/made).

Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 2022 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/195/contents/made)

extend trade prohibitions on the export, supply and delivery and making available of military goods and the transfer and making available of military technology to include dual-use goods and dual-use technology, as well as critical industry goods and critical industry technology.

Came into force 1 March 2022. See the explanatory note (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/195/note/made).

Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 2022 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/203/contents/made)
- prohibit Russian ships, and other specified ships, from entering ports in the UK (an exception allows ship movements in an emergency)
- provide the Secretary of State with a power to control the movement of Russian ships or specified ships by requiring them to leave or enter specified ports, proceed to a specified place or remain where they are
- confer powers on the Secretary of State and harbour authorities to detain Russian ships or specified ships at ports or anchorages
- prohibit the registration of ships on the UK Ship Register where they are owned, controlled, chartered or operated by a designated person or persons connected with Russia, or where they are a specified ship
Came into force 1 March 2022. See the explanatory note (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/203/note/made).

Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 5) Regulations 2022 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/205/contents/made)

insert a restriction on the provision of financial services for the purposes of foreign exchange reserve and asset management involving the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, the National Wealth Fund of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation, or persons owned or controlled by, or acting on behalf of, or at the direction of, the same

Came into force 1 March 2022. See the explanatory note (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/205/note/made).

Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 6) Regulations 2022 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/241/contents/made)
- prohibit Russian aircraft from overflying or landing in the United Kingdom (an exception allows aircraft movements in an emergency)
- confer powers on the Secretary of State, air traffic control and airport operators to issue directions for the purpose of preventing Russian aircraft from entering the airspace over the United Kingdom or from landing in the United Kingdom, or requiring aircraft to leave the airspace over the United Kingdom
- confer powers on the CAA to refuse, suspend or revoke permissions in respect of Russian aircraft
- prohibit the registration of aircraft on the register kept by the CAA where they are owned, operated or chartered by demise by a designated person
- add new categories of aviation and space goods and technology, based on items falling within chapter 88 of the Tariff
- extend existing prohibitions applying to restricted goods and restricted technology to these goods and technology, as well as a new prohibition on insurance and reinsurance services
Came into force 8 March 2022. See the explanatory note (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/241/note/made).

Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 7) Regulations 2022 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/395/contents/made)
- extend the existing finance, shipping and trade sanctions relating to Crimea and city of Sevastopol to the non-government-controlled areas of the Donetsk oblast and Luhansk oblast of Ukraine
- introduce a power to designate persons by description
- introduce prohibitions on technical assistance relating to aircraft and ships
Came into force 30 March 2022. See the explanatory note (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/395/note/made).

Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 8) Regulations 2022 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/452/contents/made)
- oil refining goods and technology
- quantum computing and advanced materials goods and technology
- luxury goods, and
- iron and steel goods
Came into force 14 April 2022. See the explanatory note (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/452/note/made).

Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 9) Regulations 2022 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/477/contents/made)
- requires providers of social media services, internet service providers and application stores to take reasonable steps to prevent their users in the United Kingdom from encountering or accessing online content generated by designated persons
- confers on the Secretary of State the power to designate a person for the purposes of the new regulation
- confers on OFCOM the power to request a person to provide information for the purpose of monitoring compliance with or detecting evasion of new regulation and the power to impose civil monetary penalties of up to £1,000,000 in relation to a failure to comply with a requirement imposed under the new regulation or a failure to comply with any request for information or documents
Came into force 29 April 2022. See the explanatory note (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/477/note/made).

Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 11) Regulations 2022 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/792/contents/made)
- maritime goods and maritime technology in certain circumstances
- military goods and technology with non-government controlled Ukrainian territory
- defence and security goods and technology
- interception and monitoring services
- banknotes
- jet fuel and fuel additives, and
- goods which generate significant revenues for Russia
- ancillary services relating to iron and steel goods
amend the definitions of ‘critical-industry goods’, ‘critical-industry technology’, ‘restricted goods’ and ‘restricted technology’

extend trade prohibitions in relation to certain items with non-government controlled Ukrainian territory
- add further things to the lists of oil and refining goods and technology and the list of energy-related goods
Came into force 15 July 2022. See the explanatory note (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/792/note/made).

Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 12) Regulations 2022 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/801/contents/made)
- land located in Russia
- persons connected with Russia
- relevant entities
- joint ventures
- opening a representative office or establishing a branch or subsidiary located in Russia
Came into force 19 July 2022. See the explanatory note (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/801/note/made).

Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 13) Regulations 2022 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/814/contents/made)
- first, to specify additional activities for which a person may be designated
- second, to make minor amendments to the definition of ‘being involved in obtaining a benefit from or supporting the Government of Russia’
- third, to broaden the interpretation of being ‘associated with’ a designated person
- provide for a new exception from trade prohibitions for humanitarian assistance activity in non-government-controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.
- expand upon the definition of ownership in relation to ships and aircraft
Came into force 18 July 2022. See the explanatory note (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/814/note/made).

Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 14) Regulations 2022 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/850/contents/made)
- professional and business services
- miscellaneous essential goods required for the functioning of the Russian economy
- oil and oil products
- gold
- coal and coal products
- add additional provision to existing trade prohibitions on energy-related goods
- make provision in relation to technical assistance to certain aircraft situated at UK airports
Came into force 21 July 2022. See the explanatory note (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/850/note/made).

Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 15) Regulations 2022 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/1110/contents/made)
- prohibit the making of a new category of loan to certain persons
- insert and amend definitions relating to the new and revised trade prohibitions
- impose new trade prohibitions in relation to gold jewellery and to certain processed gold
- impose new trade prohibitions on the import of liquefied natural gas and the export of Russia’s vulnerable goods to Russia
- make minor clarificatory amendments to the lists of critical-industry goods and critical-industry technology
- add items to the list of oil refining goods and technology and the list of revenue generating goods
- make a minor clarificatory amendment to the list of quantum computing and advanced materials goods and technology
- insert additional goods as G7 dependency and further goods
Came into force 29 October 2022, and for the purposes of regulation 6, on 1 January 2023. See the explanatory note (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/1110/note/made).

Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 16) Regulations 2022 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/1122/contents/made)
- bring forward the introduction date for the prohibitions relating to trade in all oil and oil products from 31 December 2022 to 5 December 2022
- impose new prohibitions applying to the supply and delivery by ship of 2709 and 2710 oil and oil products (‘the new prohibitions’)
- impose obligations to report certain information to the Treasury relating to the new prohibitions and allows the Treasury to impose monetary penalties for breaches of the new prohibitions
- allow for the enforcement of the new prohibitions by maritime enforcement officers
Came into force 5 December 2022. See the explanatory note (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/1122/note/made).

Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No.17) Regulations 2022 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/1331/contents/made)
- impose a new restriction in relation to the provision of trust services to designated persons or persons connected with Russia
- amend the reporting obligations in relation to trust services
- extend financial and investment provisions prohibiting certain activities relating to a person (other than an individual) that is not a person connected with Russia
- add further items to lists of goods subject to trade prohibitions
- add additional services to existing prohibitions relating to professional and business services
- insert definitions of professional and business services
Came into force 16 December 2022, and for the purposes of Part 2 of Schedule 4, and regulation 21 in so far as it relates to that Part of that Schedule, on 1 January 2023. See the explanatory note (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/1331/note/made).

2023: SIs that have made amendments

Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2023 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2023/665/made)
- add a new purpose to the 2019 regulations, namely promoting the payment of compensation by Russia for losses suffered by Ukraine.
- extend existing finance, shipping and trade prohibitions relating to non-government controlled Ukrainian territory to the non-government-controlled areas of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts of Ukraine.
Came into force 20 June 2023. See the explanatory note (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2023/665/note/made).

Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 2023 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2023/713/introduction/made)
- introduce a new prohibition on legal advisory services provided in relation to activity which would contravene certain prohibitions if that activity were carried out by a UK person, or in the United Kingdom
- introduce new exceptions to the prohibition on the provision of professional and business services to a person connected with Russia for the provision of auditing services, and in relation to the provision of expert evidence in connection with legal proceedings
- provide that certain offences may only be investigated by HM Revenue and Customs following a referral by either a Secretary of State, the Treasury or the Office of Communications
- insert a definition of ‘legal advisory services’ into Schedule 3J
Came into force 30 June 2023. See the explanatory note (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2023/713/note/made).

Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 2023 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2023/1364/contents/made)
- apply to processing a payment in any currency which is received by a UK credit or financial institution
- do not apply to the initial crediting of a payment to an account which is in the name of the credit or financial institution but not in the name of a customer of that credit or financial institution
- luxury goods
- relevant processed iron and steel products.
- certain metals
- for trade prohibitions on G7 dependency and further goods
- for trade prohibitions on luxury goods where these relate to consumer communication devices and software updates
- for trade prohibitions on iron and steel products, relevant processed iron and steel products and metals where they were exported from Russia before the prohibition come into force or where they are already in free circulation in the United Kingdom
- allow the Treasury to grant licences for certain activities carried out by a UK entity in order to divest itself of assets where those assets are subject to a sanction
- create new reporting obligations in relation to funds and economic resources held for prohibited persons
- create new reporting obligations on designated persons themselves
- make changes to the products covered by trade prohibitions on critical-industry goods and critical industry technology, luxury goods, defence and security goods and defence and security technology and G7 dependency and further goods
- amend existing definitions of certain products, both to add and remove exclusions
Came into force 15 December 2023, and for the purposes of regulations 17, 18, 20 and 21, on 26 December 2023. See the explanatory note (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2023/1364/note/made).

Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 5) Regulations 2023 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2023/1367/contents/made)
- impose new trade prohibitions on the import, acquisition and supply and delivery of diamonds and diamond jewellery which are located, originate in or are consigned from Russia
Came into force 1 January 2024. See the explanatory note (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2023/1367/note/made).

Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/218/contents/made)
- impose new trade prohibitions relating to the import of certain diamonds which originate in Russia and are processed in a third country
Came into force 1 March 2024. See the explanatory note (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/218/note/made).

Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 2024 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/834/contents/made)
- specify additional activities for which a person may be designated
- specify additional activities for which a ship may be specified
Came into force 31 July 2024. See the explanatory note (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/834/note/made).

Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 2024 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/900/contents/made)
- amend the prohibition on the provision of certain legal advisory services to clarify the knowledge a person must have before the prohibition applies
- extend the exceptions to the prohibition to ensure that advice on compliance with the law and related advice is not caught by the prohibition
- amend the definition of legal advisory services
Came into force 6 September 2024. See the explanatory note (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/900/note/made).

2025: SIs that have made amendments

Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/504/contents/made)
- add definitions of ‘energy-related technology’, ‘G7 dependency and further technology’, ‘Russia’s vulnerable technology’ and ‘sectoral software and technology’ and impose corresponding trade prohibitions
- impose new trade prohibitions in relation to the import of relevant processed synthetic diamonds
- amend certain Schedules to the 2019 Regulations
Came into force 24 April 2025. See the explanatory note (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/504/note/made).

Cross-cutting amendments

This guide only lists in detail amendments to the Russia Regulations. There are also some cross-cutting SIs that have made amendments, including :
- The Sanctions (EU Exit) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/590/contents)
- The Sanctions (EU Exit) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 2) Regulations 2022 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/818/contents/made)
- The Sanctions (EU Exit) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 2) Regulations 2024 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/1157/contents/made)
- Sanctions (EU Exit) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2025 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/394/contents/made)