The Ukranian ambassador to the UK was given a standing ovation and cheered loudly in the House of Commons in a show of unity from MPs.
The ambassador stood in the gallery above the Commons chamber as MPs from both sides, many dressed in the blue and yellow of the Ukraine flag, stood up and applauded loudly.
The display if unity came as Boris Johnson was challenged by Labour’s Keir Starmer on why the Russian-Israeli owner of Chelsea FC, Roman Abramovich, has not been sanctioned yet.
At Prime Minister’s Questions Starmer called for the net to be widened against Putin’s cronies who own property in the UK.
SNP leader Ian Blackford called for the UK Government to change its stance on bringing war crime charges against the head of the Russian state and made another appeal for UK visa requirements to be dropped.
Starmer said: “We must stand up to Putin and those who prop up his regime.
"Roman Abramovich is the owner of Chelsea Football Club and various other high-value assets in the United Kingdom. He’s a person of interest to the Home Office because of his links to the Russian state and his public association with corrupt activity and practices.”
“Last week, the Prime Minister said that Abramovich is facing sanctions. He later corrected the record to say that he isn’t. Well, why on earth isn’t he?”
Johnson said it is not “appropriate” for him to comment on individual cases at this stage.
He added: “But what I can say and I stand by what I’ve said in the House and what we put on the record, but be there no doubt that the actions that we’ve already taken, that this House has already taken, are having an effect in Moscow, and by exposing the ownership of properties, of companies in the way that we are, by sanctioning 275 individuals already, a further 100 last week, that the impact is being felt.”
Abramovich has reportedly put Chelsea the market and is inviting bids from potential buyers as backlash to his ownership of the club grows.
The Russian oligarch, 55, bought club in 2003 and has led them to the most successful spell in their history.
Starmer also asked the Prime Minister why Igor Shuvalov, Russian’s former deputy prime minister, is not on the UK sanctions list when he appears on the EU’s list.
Starmer said: “Putin’s former deputy prime minister. Shuvalov owns two flats, not five minutes walk from this House. They’re worth over £11 million. He is on the EU sanctions list, but he’s not on the UK sanctions list. When will the Prime Minister sort this out?”
The Prime Minister replied that the UK will publish “a full list of all those associated with the Putin regime.”
Johnson added: “This Government has brought forward the unprecedented measures that we have and I know that the whole House will agree with me that nothing we do in rooting out corruption and corrupt money in London or any other capital should for one minute – I want to agree with him very strongly – distract for where the true blame for this crisis lies, which is wholly and exclusively and entirely with Vladimir Putin and his regime.”
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