British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has distributed approximately £45 million to Russian healthcare professionals and organisations since the outbreak of the Ukraine war, despite mounting UK military support for Kyiv.
The Cambridge-headquartered company, Britain’s most valuable listed enterprise, disbursed £24.4 million in 2022 during Moscow’s invasion and £20.6 million in 2023. These payments, revealed through analysis of company data published in Russian, were primarily allocated to research studies and clinical trials, alongside consultancy fees, donations, grants and scientific event sponsorships.
The scale of AstraZeneca’s Russian engagement stands in stark contrast to GSK, Britain’s other major pharmaceutical player, which reduced its payments from £6.7 million in 2022 to £2.6 million in 2023. This disparity emerges as numerous Western multinationals have withdrawn from Russia following the implementation of sanctions.
The pharmaceutical sector’s continued presence in Russia stems from its stance that all individuals deserve access to essential medicines and vaccines. This position has remained unchanged despite the UK’s deepening involvement in the Ukrainian conflict, including £7.8 billion in military assistance and the provision of tanks, air defence systems and long-range missiles.
Andrii Onopriienko from the Leave Russia project at the Kyiv School of Economics criticised the ongoing operations, stating it was “neither acceptable nor justifiable” for UK pharmaceutical companies to maintain Russian operations while Britain actively supports Ukraine’s defence efforts.
In response, AstraZeneca maintained its presence was limited to ensuring patient access to essential medicines, while GSK emphasised its scaled-back approach, having ceased promotional activities and new clinical trials in Russia. Both companies operate within sanctions compliance, though their precise Russian revenue figures remain undisclosed in UK financial reports.
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