In the UK, a company was found whose owner is Vladimir Saldo, the head of the Russian occupation administration of the Kherson region, who is included in the British sanctions list. According to The Guardian, Grainholding Ltd. with its registered office in the trading area of Hatton Garden, London, was registered in November last year.
The balance was included in the UK sanctions list five months earlier, in June 2022, which meant a ban on entry and freezing of all assets in the country. It is noted that the UK Companies House does not require proof of identity when setting up companies. A government spokesman, contacted by The Guardian for comment, declined to say if any action had been taken against Grainholding Ltd. Labor MP Margaret Hodge said "this system is a mess from start to finish".
According to company documents, its assets are valued at £1. Half of the company belongs to Saldo, and the other half belongs to another citizen of Ukraine.
The publication notes that the UK government sees economic pressure as a key part of the effort to weaken Russia and stop the war, but the law, according to which the creation of British companies by people from the sanctions list would be considered a crime, has not been passed.
The balance is also included in the US and EU sanctions lists.