Overview

• Dmitrii Ovsiannikov, former governor of Sevastopol, was convicted at Southwark Crown Court for circumventing UK sanctions between February 2023 and January 2024.
• This marks the first UK prosecution under the Russian Regulations 2019, reinforcing the government’s commitment to enforcing sanctions against Russian elites.
• Ovsiannikov opened a Halifax Bank of Scotland account to receive tens of thousands of pounds from his wife, a key act of sanctions circumvention.
• His brother, Alexei Owsjanikow, was also convicted for related offenses, including paying over £41,000 in school fees for Ovsiannikov's children.
• The case highlights the UK’s efforts to crack down on financial loopholes used by high-profile individuals to bypass international sanctions.