UK Sanctions 18 Individuals and Entities Tied to Russian Crypto Evasion Network A7
The United Kingdom has added 18 individuals and entities to its sanctions list under the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, targeting those connected to the A7 cryptocurrency network — a platform alleged to be used by Russia to circumvent existing international sanctions.
The new designations include:
Alongside the designations, OFSI has updated General Licence INT/2024/4761108 — the personal remittance licence — to extend its scope to cryptoasset transactions. The licence permits non-UK designated persons to use retail banking services of sanctioned financial institutions, and now also allows payments to be made and received in cryptoassets.
The new designations include:
- 3 people and 10 entities linked to A7, which was itself UK-designated in 2025. Among those listed are Sergey Mendeleev, a director of A7, and OJSC Eurasian Savings Bank, a Kyrgyzstan-registered financial institution
- 1 person and 2 entities active in Russia's financial sector
- 2 Kyrgyz entities conducting business of economic significance to the Russian government
Alongside the designations, OFSI has updated General Licence INT/2024/4761108 — the personal remittance licence — to extend its scope to cryptoasset transactions. The licence permits non-UK designated persons to use retail banking services of sanctioned financial institutions, and now also allows payments to be made and received in cryptoassets.
- The updated licence introduces a formal definition of cryptoassets as digitally secured representations of value using distributed ledger technology, and establishes a new reporting requirement: any cryptoasset payments made or received under the licence must be reported within 14 days of the end of each calendar month.
