LONDON: The UK on Wednesday (Aug 20) announced a crackdown against eight individuals and entities that have helped Russia circumvent Western sanctions through financial and cryptocurrency networks based in Kyrgyzstan. London announced new sanctions against five organisations and three individuals, including the Kyrgyz-based Capital Bank and its director, Kantemir Chalbayev, "which Russia uses to pay for military goods", the Foreign Office said. The Grinex and Meer cryptocurrency exchanges,