UK imposes sanctions on Abramovich, Deripaska, Sechin, Kostin, Miller, Tokarev, Lebedev

LONDON. March 10 (Interfax) - The British authorities are imposing sanctions on Roman Abramovich, Oleg Deripaska and five other Russian businessmen, according to a statement from Downing Street.

A statement published on the British government website announced "a full asset freeze and travel ban."

The sanctions have also been imposed on Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin, VTB Chairman Andrei Kostin, Transneft President Nikolai Tokarev, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller, and businessman Dmitry Lebedev.

The Chelsea football club owned by Abramovich will be allowed to proceed with a number of football-related events, the document said.

Since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, more than 200 Russian individuals and organizations have been hit by British sanctions. In total, there are over 500 individuals and organizations with links to Russia on the UK sanctions list, the document said.

Also, the law regarding economic crimes, due to come into effect next week, will make it easier for British authorities to impose sanctions, including against specific individuals, it said.

Earlier in March, Britain sanctioned Russian businessman Alisher Usmanov and VEB Chairman Igor Shuvalov.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson also said that London and its partners were ready to impose as many sanctions on Russia as may be necessary in relation to the events in Ukraine.