BORIS Johnson will issue sanctions against Vladimir Putin and his foreign minister, it had been confirmed.
The move against the Russian President and Sergei Lavrov is largely symbolic, seeing as they are unlikely to hold any assets in the UK in their own names.
It was announced by No.10 following a Nato call this evening, where the UK stressed the need to block Russia from the Swift banking system.
The EU will also take similar steps against Putin and Lavrov, it is understood.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said: “The Prime Minister addressed a NATO leaders meeting this afternoon, to update allies on the UK’s next steps following the appalling bombardment of Ukraine.
“The Prime Minister told the group that a catastrophe was engulfing Ukraine, and President Putin was engaging in a revanchist mission to over-turn post-Cold War order. He warned the group that the Russian President’s ambitions might not stop there and that this was a Euro-Atlantic crisis with global consequences.
“The Prime Minister urged leaders to take immediate action against SWIFT to inflict maximum pain on President Putin and his regime. The UK would introduce sanctions against President Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov imminently, on top of the sanctions package the UK announced yesterday, he said.
“The Prime Minister added that the world must make certain President Putin would fail in this act of aggression. Ukraine was showing strong resistance. He added that there could be no normalisation of relations with Russia after this act.
“The Prime Minister outlined details of the UK's new offer to NATO across its eastern flank. The UK stood ready for any further request from NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe to go further with military support to NATO from UK Armed Forces, he said.
“NATO should have primacy in the future of European security and it was vital that it was strengthened now, the Prime Minister added.”
Chief of Defence Intelligence Sir Jim Hockenhull said the Russians were trying to capture key targets in Kyiv and "change the regime".
He explained: "Russian forces continue to advance on two axis towards Kyiv. Their objective is to encircle the capital, to secure control of the population and change the regime.
“Russia continues to conduct strikes across Ukraine. Overnight Russia launched a concerted series of strikes on targets in Kyiv. Multiple rocket launchers have been employed in Chernihiv and Kharkiv.
“Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to offer strong resistance, focusing on the defence of key cities throughout Ukraine.”
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