Russia 'unfriendly countries' list expands, UK territories added

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Some 11 British overseas territories were introduced to Russia's "unfriendly countries" list on Sunday by the Russian government after these territories supported the United Kingdom's imposition of sanctions on Moscow.

The newly added list expands the total of UK-controlled territories denoted as "unfriendly countries" to 14, after the island of Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, and Gibraltar were previously added.

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"The government has expanded the list of foreign states and territories that commit unfriendly actions against Russia, Russian companies, and citizens. An order has been signed. Another 11 British Overseas Territories have been added to the list, which supported the sanctions imposed by the United Kingdom against Russia," the Russian statement said. 

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According to the statement, the new territories are British Antarctic Territory, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos Islands, British Indian Ocean Territory, Bermuda, Pitcairn Islands, Falkland Islands, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha,  Cayman Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, and Akrotiri and Dhekelia.

It's noteworthy that in 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree that gives the government authority to introduce countermeasures against countries that engage in hostile and "unfriendly" actions against Moscow.

The first two countries to be introduced on the list were the United States and the Czech Republic after Washington imposed sanctions on Russia for allegedly interfering with American elections in addition to accusations that Russia targeted it with cyber attacks.

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The list was expanded in April of 2021, as well as March and July of this year after the Ukraine war started, when the Russian Federation Government adopted a list of foreign governments and territories that engage in hostile measures and sanctions against Russia, its enterprises, and individuals.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree earlier this year that establishes provisional rules for sovereign and corporate debtors to follow in order to pay creditors from "countries that engage in hostile activities" against Russia, its firms, and its residents.

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The list primarily includes the US, Canada, the EU, the UK, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and Taiwan, among others.