The United Kingdom has imposed fresh sanctions on 35 individuals and entities it accused of supporting Russia’s drone warfare and facilitating the exploitation of vulnerable migrants in connection with the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The measures, announced by the British High Commission in Abuja on Wednesday, target what the UK described as interconnected networks supplying critical components for Russian drone production and recruiting foreign nationals under deceptive arrangements.

According to British authorities, the sanctioned actors include individuals and companies involved in human trafficking schemes that allegedly move migrants from multiple countries into Russia’s war infrastructure, where they are either deployed to frontline positions or compelled to work in weapons manufacturing facilities.

The UK said such operations are part of wider efforts sustaining Russia’s military campaign, particularly through the production and deployment of attack drones used in strikes across Ukraine.

It cited Russia’s continued use of unmanned aerial systems in the conflict, noting a sharp escalation in drone attacks in recent months, with March 2026 recording an average of more than 200 drone launches per day.

It warned that supply chains feeding Russia’s drone programme depend on foreign-sourced components and technical expertise, including links to third countries where individuals and firms have allegedly facilitated procurement and logistics.

Among those named in the sanctions list is Pavel Nikitin, whose company is reportedly involved in developing the VT-40 drone, described as a low-cost, mass-produced attack system widely used in the conflict.

The sanctions also include individuals accused of recruitment activities linked to Russian state-backed programmes.

One of those listed is Polina Alexandrovna Azarnykh, alleged to have coordinated the movement of recruits from countries including Nigeria, Egypt, Iraq, Côte d’Ivoire, Morocco, Syria and Yemen to Russia, where they are deployed to combat zones with minimal preparation.

UK Sanctions Minister Stephen Doughty condemned the operations, describing them as the exploitation of vulnerable people to sustain what he called Russia’s “illegal war in Ukraine.”

“The practice of exploiting vulnerable people to prop up Russia’s failing and illegal war in Ukraine is barbaric,” he said.

He added that the sanctions were intended to disrupt both human trafficking networks and the supply chains feeding Russia’s drone manufacturing capabilities.

“These sanctions expose and disrupt the operations of those trafficking migrants as cannon fodder and feeding Putin’s drone factories with illicit components to target innocent civilians and vital infrastructure,” Doughty said.

The UK government also confirmed that some of the sanctioned entities are based in third countries, including China and Thailand, and are allegedly involved in supplying drone parts and other military-related materials.

In Abuja, the Charge d’Affaires and British Deputy High Commissioner, Mrs Gill Lever, said the sanctions directly address the exploitation of Nigerians and other foreign nationals recruited under false pretences.

“Today, the UK sanctioned Russian-linked networks and individuals involved in the deceptive recruitment of vulnerable Nigerian men and women, who were misled into joining Russia’s frontline in its war against Ukraine,” she said.

Lever warned that such schemes expose recruits to grave danger, noting that some victims have already lost their lives in the conflict.

She referenced earlier advisories issued by Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs cautioning citizens against participating in such recruitment programmes.

“These sanctions shine a light on those who seek to exploit vulnerable Nigerians to sustain Russia’s illegal war,” she said.

The UK said the latest action forms part of its Global Irregular Migration and Trafficking in Persons (GIMTIPs) sanctions regime, designed to target human trafficking networks and disrupt the financing of organised migration crime.

It reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Ukraine and intensifying pressure on Russia’s military infrastructure, while working with international partners to dismantle networks enabling the war effort.