The UK Foreign Office on Monday accused Russia of conducting "sham referenda" in the DPR, LPR, Kherson, and Zaporozhye regions in Ukraine and said in a statement that the UK officially issued new sanctions against Russia.

"The Foreign Secretary has today (26 September) announced 92 sanctions in response to the Russian regime imposing sham referendums in four regions of Ukraine – a clear violation of international law, including the UN charter," the statement said.

Among the thirty-three officials who received sanctions included the head of the government of the Kherson region Sergey Eliseev; the minister of education and science of the Lugansk People's Republic Ivan Kusov; the head of the administration of the Zaporozhye region Yevgeny Balytskyi; a member of the main council of the Zaporozhye regional administration Vladimir Rogov; the head of the Kherson city administration Alexander Kobets; and deputy chairman of the government of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) Yevgeny Solntsev.

Four other individuals were sanctioned for allegedly "supporting or obtaining benefit from the Government of Russia and operating in sectors of strategic significance," namely Russian real estate developers God Nisanov and Zarakh Iliev; Ural Mining and Metallurgic Company President Iskander Makhmudov; and ARETI International Group President Igor Makarov.

Russian joint-stock company Goznak and PR agency IMA Consulting were also included in the list.

Fifty-five other board members of Russian financial organizations, as well as twenty-three individuals from Gazprombank, 16 from Sberbank, and 10 from Sovcombank, were also sanctioned. 

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Since the conflict between Russia and Ukraine began in February, the UK has stood as one of Ukraine's major allies. 

Back in March of this year, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced to his cabinet his intention to supply Ukraine with “more lethal” weapons.

Russia condemned the UK for cooperating with Kiev ultra-nationalist forces and supplying them with weapons against Russia's armed forces.

Last June, Johnson launched a major training operation for Ukrainian forces, with the potential to train up to 10,000 soldiers every 120 days.

Other nations in the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) and Canada were given the opportunity to join the initiative. These consist of Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Norway.

Just a few days ago, Russia released UK prisoners of war as part of an exchange between Russia and Ukraine with the mediation of Saudi Arabia. 

Read more: US announces new $457 million package for Ukraine 'law enforcement'