Britain has imposed sanctions on Anatoly Bibilov, the former president of South Ossetia and founder of the “United Ossetia” party. A document released by the UK Treasury states that Bibilov “is or has been involved in destabilising Ukraine or undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty or independence of Ukraine.”
The UK will freeze Bibilov’s assets, impose a travel ban, and sanction the provision of trust services to him.
Bibilov’s associates have denied that he holds any assets or financial interests abroad.
After losing the 2022 presidential election, Bibilov relocated to Donbas, where he fights alongside Russian forces as deputy commander of a volunteer corps.
In 2014, while serving as speaker of the South Ossetian parliament, Bibilov supported South Ossetia’s recognition of the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics and established diplomatic ties with them.
In 2023, Bibilov was awarded Russia’s Order of Courage, and in 2024, he received the Hero of the Donetsk People’s Republic star “for merits, personal courage, heroism, bravery, and selflessness displayed in combat actions defending the region.”
Anatoly Bibilov responded to London’s sanctions with notable restraint. He stated that “these sanctions once again confirm that we are moving in the right direction.”
“Friends, your sanctions cannot stop us, and know that Victory will be ours!” he declared.
Bibilov also received support from his allies in the now-oppositional “United Ossetia” party.
In particular, the party’s chairman (and relative of its founder), Atsamaz Bibilov, described the inclusion of Anatoly Bibilov in the sanctions list as a sign of “the West’s complete impotence in the face of the impending collapse of the Zelensky regime.”
“This is a primitive attempt to pressure Russia. The West has elevated itself to the role of a kind of international policeman, interfering in the internal affairs of sovereign states. Some heads of state, under the influence and dictate of the West, have become puppets in the pursuit of the West’s global goals and objectives.
“The inclusion of Anatoly Bibilov (and other Russian politicians and public figures) in sanctions lists shows that we are doing everything correctly. Our task, alongside Russia, is to resist Western hegemony and free Europe from Nazism, something Anatoly Bibilov is specifically working toward.”
At the same time, the opposition figure expressed dissatisfaction with the silence of South Ossetian authorities on the matter:
“If our leadership supports the special military operation and stands in solidarity with Russia, why is there no condemnation of the fact that Anatoly Bibilov, a citizen of South Ossetia, has been added to the sanctions list? Our state is obliged to provide him with political and moral support. But apparently, according to them, only a supporter of the current authorities is worthy of such support, while someone with different political views is of no value to them.”
Russian state television also aired a segment featuring Anatoly Bibilov from Donetsk.
Sanctions against Bibilov were part of a broader package of restrictions introduced by the United Kingdom on October 28. The measures also targeted several Russian organizations, including the Agency for Social Design (ASD), the “Struktura” group of companies, the All-Russian Interdepartmental Center for Competencies in Internet Communications, and the operator of the digital dialogue platform between the government and society, the Autonomous Nonprofit Organization “Dialogue.”
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