Boris Johnson says Putin has crossed red line into barbarism
[ad_1]
Boris Johnson, the British Prime Minister, disembarks his plane as he arrives in Brussels to participate in NATO’s summit on Russia’s invasion in Ukraine.
Pool | Getty Images News | Getty Images
LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Thursday that Russian President Vladimir PutinWith his invasion in Ukraine, he crossed the line to barbarism.
His comments come as the U.K. heaped more sanctions on key Russian sectors it said were “fuelling Putin’s war machine.”
Johnson spoke to journalists as he arrived in Brussels for the NATO summit. He stated that Vladimir Putin had already crossed the redline into barbarism and called for more sanctions against strategic industries, banking and business elites.
He stated, “It is important we collaborate to get this done.” According to him, the harder sanctions are and the more that is done for Ukraine the quicker the conflict can end.
Johnson arrived in London for the flurry diplomatic gatherings that took place Thursday. Following NATO Summit, meetings between EU leaders as well as G-7 nation leaders will take place. Russia’s unprovoked invasion in Ukraine is high on the agenda, and world leaders are looking to see how they can help the nation that has been devastated by Russian bombardment for a month.
On Thursday morning, 65 Russian sanctions were announced by the United Kingdom. They target key industries and people who are supporting Russia’s invasion.
The sanctions have targeted Russian Railways and defense company Kronshtadt, the main producer of Russian drones, as well as the Wagner Group — the organization of Russian mercenaries reportedly tasked with assassinating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the U.K.’s Foreign Office said in a statement Thursday.
Another six banks have been targeted, too. These include Alfa Bank, whose founders included previously sanctioned Oligarchs Petr Aven, Mikhail Fridman and German Khan as well as Alrosa, the largest producer of diamonds in the world.
Eugene Shvidler, a billionaire oil tycoon and the founder of Tinkoff Bank Oleg Tinkov are among those being sanctioned. Herman Gref is also on the list, who was chief executive at Russia’s biggest bank. SberbankSanctions were also given to Polina Kovaleva and Sergey Lavrov’s step-daughter, Polina Kovaleva.
Galina Danilchenko, who was installed by Russia as the “mayor” of Ukraine’s Melitopol is also sanctioned — the first time an individual has been sanctioned for collaboration with Russian forces currently in Ukraine.
‘Dirty money’
Since the invasion of Russia, over 1000 individuals and businesses have been sanctioned in the U.K. by the Foreign Office.
Liz Truss from the British Foreign Ministry commented on the sanction. “These oligarchs business and employed thugs were complicit in innocent civilians’ deaths and it is right they have to pay the price. Putin should be under no illusions — we are united with our allies and will keep tightening the screw on the Russian economy to help ensure he fails in Ukraine. We will not let up.”
According to her, all sanctioned people today will see their assets frozen in the U.K. They can’t do business with any U.K. citizens or companies, and those subject to travel bans will not be allowed to travel to or from the U.K.
The latest sanctions will bring the total global asset value of the banks the U.K. has sanctioned since the invasion to £500 billion ($660 billion) and the net worth of the oligarchs and family members in excess of £150 billion, she said.
Truss stated that the U.K. led the international sanctions effort to cut off entire sectors of Russia’s economy, targeting Russian defense companies and its transport sector and working with other allies in order to exclude Russia from SWIFT.
An aerial view shows East London.
Getty Images| Moment | Getty Images
The U.K. is often accused of not paying attention to the vast wealth that has been held and laundered by Russians in London. However, a lot of this wealth comes from unearned gains, which are then invested in U.K. real estate markets.
According to the government, last month that it was fast-tracking plans to tackle the flow of “dirty money.”
“There is no place for dirty money in the U.K. We are going faster and harder to tear back the façade that those supporting Putin’s campaign of destruction have been hiding behind for so long. Johnson stated in February that those supporting Putin are now being warned: “There will not be any place to hide your illgotten gains.”
[ad_2]