Advertising Association Urges UK Agencies to Cease Exports to Russia

 

The UK's Advertising Association has responded to sanctions announced by the UK government today, urging the industry to prevent Russian access to its services.

 

The sanctions come in response to Putin’s illegal annexation of Ukrainian regions today following sham referendums.

 

Stephen Woodford, CEO of the Advertising Association said: “UK advertising and marketing businesses still providing services to Russia should urgently take note of the UK government’s announcement today. As the industry’s trade body, we fully support these measures, as well as the decision of many companies who have already ceased trading with Russia.

 

“Companies will be breaking the law if they export advertising and marketing services to Russia or to persons connected to Russia once the legislation comes into force, with limited exceptions. We urge businesses to act now to avoid illegal trading. We will continue to work with government to ensure that these sanctions have the maximum impact on Putin’s regime whilst minimising disruption to UK businesses and ensuring legitimate and necessary activity may continue.”

 

 

Putin today announced the illegal annexation of the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia following sham referendums.

 

Under new sanctions, the UK government hopes that Russia will lose access to major western services that it depends on, including advertising, as well as IT consultancy, architectural services, engineering services, and transactional legal advisory services for certain commercial activity.

 

With these sanctions, the UK is moving in lockstep with international partners to target key sectors of the Russian economy. The new measures will ramp up economic pressure on the Russian regime by targeting vulnerabilities and disrupting crucial supply chains.

 

The UK has also banned the export of nearly 700 goods that are crucial to Russia’s industrial and technological capabilities.

 

Furthermore, the UK foreign secretary has summoned the Russian ambassador, Andrey Kelin, to protest in the strongest terms against the illegal annexation of sovereign Ukrainian territory.

 

 

You can read the full government press release via gov.uk.