LONDON, March 9. /TASS/. The UK’s government has announced additional measures preventing the country’s exports of aviation or space-related items and technology to Russia over Moscow’s special operation in Ukraine, according to a statement released by the Foreign Office on Wednesday.

"Additional trade measures, also introduced today, will prevent UK exports of aviation or space-related items and technology to Russia, including related services such as insurance and reinsurance services. This means cover is withdrawn on existing policies and UK insurers and reinsurers will be unable to pay claims in respect of existing policies in these sectors," the statement said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on February 24 that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics he had made a decision to carry out a special military operation in Ukraine, stressing that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories. The US, the EU, the UK and a number of other states responded to the actions of the Russian authorities by slapping sanctions against physical and legal entities, as well as restricting exports of high-tech products to Russia.