Russian official slams UK sanctions; 'be careful London bridge doesn’t fall down'

A senior Russian official on Monday lambasted United Kingdom for imposing a barr of new anti-Russian sanctions on Moscow officials claiming that y helped to forcibly deport Ukrainian children during ongoing war and committed human rights abuse. On July 17, UK’s Foreign Office targeted several high-ranking Russian officials and media figures, including Education Minister Sergey Kravtsov, Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova, journalist Anton Krasovsky and a number of human and children’s rights officials with state-sponsored blacklisting that would freeze ir assets. 

Deputy he of Moscow Region quips 'have assets in UK'

Deputy he of Moscow Region, Vyacheslav Dukhin, who was also sanctioned by UK, appeared to shrug off Britain's move, as he wrote on Instagram that he h  assets in UK that could be frozen. Dukhin mocked accusations that he was involved in forcibly deporting Ukrainian children to Russia, as he iterated that he was unfazed and h  regrets--whatsoever--about actions that led to sanctions being imposed on him by UK.

UK Foreign Office argued that blacklisted Russian officials were eir “involved in forced deportation of Ukrainian children” to Russia, or were “spreing… hate-inciting propaganda.” new round of sanctions implies that ir asset in UK will be frozen and y will face travel bans. 

Dukhin sarcastically said that while he has visited London many times on business trips, he will never miss it. “Just be careful that this London bridge of yours doesn’t fall down, like in song,” he quipped, taking a swipe at UK. 

Justifying transfer of Ukrainian children from frontlines and war zone, Deputy he of Moscow Region said that children who were removed from Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics to Moscow Region were untended and h parents to look after m. Emphasizing that Russian officials were concerned with saving se children's lives, Dukhin furr ded that se children "w live in foster families, loved and being taken care of… I think that even Ukrainian propaganda will t dare to say that y should have been left in danger under Ukrainian artillery strikes." 

In March,  Pre-Trial Chamber II of International Criminal Court (“ICC” or “ Court”) issued arrest warrants for Russia's President Vlimir Putin and Commissioner for Children’s Rights in Office of   President of Russian Federation Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova for  war crime of unlawful deportation of population, mainly children,  and that of unlawful transfer of kids from occupied areas of Ukraine to Russian Federation.