Dmitrii Ovsiannikov, a former Russian minister and ex-governor of Sevastopol in Crimea, has been found guilty in a landmark UK court case for breaking sanctions laws. These sanctions were placed on him years ago after he took a high-ranking role in Crimea following Russia’s illegal annexation of the region from Ukraine.
Between February 2023 and January 2024, Ovsiannikov used a Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS) account to receive tens of thousands of pounds. His wife transferred the money, but she was later cleared of all wrongdoing. The court ruled that Ovsiannikov knew he was still a “designated person” under the UK’s Russia-related sanctions, meaning he was banned from using bank accounts or receiving any money in the country.
His brother, Alexei Owsjanikow, was also found guilty of helping break the rules. He paid £41,027 in school fees for Ovsiannikov’s children—another act that violated the sanctions. The court found this to be a clear attempt to dodge the financial restrictions placed on the family.
Russia’s Powerful MiG-41 Could Outclass US F-35 Despite Global Sanctions
These sanctions were originally imposed in 2017 when Ovsiannikov was serving as governor of Sevastopol—a position he had been appointed to by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2016. At the time, the UK was still part of the EU, so the sanctions applied in Britain too.
The Case Unfolds
The trial took place at Southwark Crown Court in London. Jurors were told that Ovsiannikov moved from Russia to Turkey in August 2022 and applied online for a UK passport just days later. His wife and children followed him to the UK shortly after, entering the country on 13 August 2022. Even though his name was removed from the EU sanctions list in early 2023, he remained on the UK list due to separate legal rules.
On 1 February 2023, Ovsiannikov entered the UK after receiving his British passport. Only six days later, he emailed the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to ask for his name to be removed from the UK sanctions list. Prosecutor Paul Jarvis KC pointed to this as clear evidence that Ovsiannikov knew he was still under sanctions.
Then, on 24 February 2023, Halifax Bank froze Ovsiannikov’s account after realizing he was listed under UK sanctions. According to the prosecution, this moment marked the beginning of the legal process that would eventually lead to his conviction.
During the trial, the jury heard how Ovsiannikov’s family made large payments and purchases while sanctions were still active. The court accepted that while some of the transactions were real, what mattered was whether the people involved knew about the restrictions. The jury found that Dmitrii Ovsiannikov and Alexei Owsjanikow did.
Ovsiannikov was found guilty on six out of seven charges of circumventing sanctions. He was also convicted of possessing and using criminal property. The jury could not agree on one remaining charge.
Big Ivan Rogov Warship Grows Quickly Under Sanction Pressure
Reactions and Impact
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) described the case as a first-of-its-kind prosecution in the UK under the Russian Regulations 2019. After the verdicts were announced, Julius Capon of the CPS stated that Ovsiannikov “knew he had been on the UK sanctions list since 2017 but chose to ignore this.” He also criticized family members for supporting a “lavish lifestyle” despite the legal restrictions.
Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty also spoke out, saying the verdict showed that those who try to “hide from our sanctions” will be caught and prosecuted. He called the case an example of how the UK is enforcing sanctions in response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
F-35 Fighter Jet Becomes $2 Trillion Disaster as Allies Abandon Costly Jet Amid Broken Promises
Graeme Biggar, the Director General of the National Crime Agency (NCA), added that the verdict proved that not just sanctioned individuals, but also those helping them, are under scrutiny. He emphasized the importance of law enforcement agencies working together to take action against sanction violators.
Ovsiannikov’s wife, Ekaterina Ovsiannikova, was cleared of four charges of assisting with illegal payments totaling £76,000. His brother, Alexei Owsjanikow, was also cleared of three charges that accused him of helping purchase a £54,500 Mercedes-Benz and arranging insurance and banking services for his brother.
Sentencing for Dmitrii Ovsiannikov and Alexei Owsjanikow will take place at Southwark Crown Court at a later date.
