Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 24, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 24, 2026
The UK bans video game controller exports to Russia to prevent their use in drone piloting amid the Ukraine conflict, aligning with EU measures.
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain on Thursday said it was banning the export to Russia of video game controllers which can be used to pilot drones, part of its latest package of trade measures following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
"We're ... banning outright video game controllers going to Russia, preventing them from being used to pilot drones on the frontline, meaning gaming consoles will no longer be repurposed to kill in Ukraine," sanctions minister Stephen Doughty said in a statement.
The announcement comes after Ukraine's air force said Russia had launched 215 drones and missiles in an overnight attack.
The European Union adopted a similar ban on video games and joysticks earlier this year.
Britain also said it was blocking the export of software used by the defence and energy sectors, including programmes used to produce weaponry, and search for and tap new oil and gas wells.
(Reporting by William James; Editing by Catarina Demony)
The UK has banned the export of video game controllers to Russia to prevent their use in piloting drones in the Ukraine conflict.
The UK aims to prevent these controllers from being used to pilot drones in the Ukraine conflict.
The UK is also blocking software exports used in the defense and energy sectors.
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