The UK has banned the export of gamepads and software to Russia to prevent them from being used to control drones in attacks on Ukraine. The sanctions are part of a new package of 150 restrictions against Russia.
The UK government announced a new package of sanctions against Russia on April 24. The most high-profile part of it is a complete ban on the export of video game controllers, including gamepads and joysticks. The reason is their active use by the Russian military to control short-range drones that attack Ukrainian civilians.
Minister Stephen Doughty said:
> “Consoles will no longer be repurposed for killing in Ukraine.”
The sanctions also include:
– a ban on software that helped Russia develop new oil and gas fields;
– blocking high-tech components – electronics, chemicals, weapons production equipment;
– closing trade loopholes that the Kremlin has used to circumvent previous sanctions.
A similar ban on joysticks was already introduced by the EU earlier this year. In 2023-2024, UN experts documented the use of drones with game controllers to attack people on the streets, in transport and even in shelters. Such actions pose one of the greatest threats to civilians on the front.
The ban on gamepads is not just a symbolic step. It is a demonstration that every detail matters in war, where even children’s toys can become instruments of death. The UK is not stopping: the new sanctions signal a willingness to act tougher, even if allies are not always in sync. And Trump’s position only widens the gap in international pressure on Russia.
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