The United Kingdom has imposed new sanctions on Russian individuals and an organization involved in the use and transfer of chemical weapons in Ukraine, the British government announced, EDnews reports, citing The Kyiv Independent.

According to the updated sanctions list published on the UK government's official website, the new measures target Russia's Scientific Research Institute of Applied Chemistry, as well as Lieutenant General Alexei Rtishchev, head of Russia's Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defense Troops, and his deputy, Andrei Marchenko.

The UK government said that both of them "have been responsible for, engaging in, providing support for, or promoting prohibited activity related to chemical weapons."

The Scientific Research Institute of Applied Chemistry was sanctioned for providing Russia's military with handheld chemical grenades, which have been used against the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

The new British sanctions come amid growing international concern over Russia's escalating use of banned chemical agents in its war against Ukraine.