UK banning export of ‘rubber goods’ to Russia

London - The UK is banning the export of ‘rubber goods’ to Russia and Belarus as part of a new package of sanctions in response to the invasion of Ukraine.

The combined measures, which target £1.7 billion (€2.0 billion) worth of trade “are designed to further weaken Putin’s war machine,” said an 8 May government announcement.

Planned export bans, it said, will target over £250 million worth of goods in sectors of the Russian economy most dependent on UK goods, such as chemicals, plastics, rubber, and machinery.

Meanwhile, new import tariffs, covering £1.4 billion worth of goods, including platinum and palladium, are further intended to hamper funding of the Russian war-effort.

“Russia is one of the leading platinum and palladium producing countries and is highly dependent on the UK for exports of platinum and palladium products,” said the statement..

The latest moves brings the total value of products subjected to UK trade sanctions, in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, to more than £4 billion.