The UK's defence minister has lashed out at Russian oligarchs' wives "enjoying themselves in Greece" as Vladimir Putin 's troops continue to unleash misery on Ukraine - but appeared to rule out a complete ban on Russian tourists.
Ben Wallace this morning said the UK can "toughen up" visa conditions, but seemed to reject calls from other European countries to bring in an outright ban on Russians entering the country on tourist visas
Finland, Estonia and the Czech Republic have urged Brussels to implement an EU-wide ban on new tourist visas as punishment for Russia's war against Ukraine..
Speaking to the BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Wallace said: "I certainly think we can toughen up the conditions of our visas. I am not sure whether an outright ban is the right way.
"I think that's a matter for the Home Secretary to look at. But I don't like, and I'm sure none of your listeners like, watching oligarchs' wives or indeed Russian senior officials' wives enjoying themselves in Greece or the south of France, or on super yachts around the world while their army is committing war crimes in Ukraine.
"I think that is very wrong. I think the problem has been all the way back to 2014, that Russia invaded Crimea, illegally annexed it, and then it was allowed in some countries to carry on as if nothing had really changed."
It comes as new figures reveal imports of Russian goods dropped to £33 million in June - the lowest since records began 25 years ago.
For the first time there were no fuel imports at all that month, while exports dropped by more than two thirds - a fall of £168 million compared to the yearly average.
Chemicals were the only things that saw a rise in exports, with the UK exporting nearly £40 million of medicines - which are exempt from strict sanctions imposed following Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
Experts from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) also suggested that British businesses are voluntarily boycotting Russian goods, with machinery and transport exports were 91.3% lower in June than normal.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky first called for the visa ban in an interview with the Washington Post earlier this month - saying Russians should "live in their own world until they change their philosophy".
Mr Wallace claimed Russia is in a "very fragile position" at the moment, explaining its advance can be measured "in metres per week, not miles".
He added: "We pretty much accept, well, we do accept, the sort of observations of Russian losses to be - if you combine deaths, injuries, desertions - over 80,000 of their armed forces. That's 80,000 in six months compared to 15,000 they lost in a decade in Afghanistan.
"I think we are in a position where Russia is in a very fragile position."
On whether Ukraine is realistically in a position to retake the territory that Russia still holds, Mr Wallace said: "I think Ukraine is getting itself into that position."
Meanwhile, defence minister James Heappey warned cosying up to Russia would make the cost-of-living crisis "100 times worse".
.He told Sky News: "I think that I can understand why lots of people eating their breakfast and worrying about the cost of living will be agreeing with the premise of your question that, you know, arguably the most straightforward solution to the cost-of-living crisis is that we re-establish relations with Russia and everything goes back to the way that it was in the European energy market.
"Every single thing that I have seen in the last six months tells me that that would be catastrophic for security in the Euro-Atlantic.
"Thus not, not on some 10 or 15 or 20-year horizon, but within just a few years, we would find ourselves in a situation where an emboldened Russia was causing cost-of-living challenges that are 100 times worse than what we are seeing right now."
Mr Wallace and Mr Heappey's comments come on the day Ukrainians are marking 31 years of their country's independence from the Moscow-controlled former Soviet Union.
In a video message, published on Twitter, Prime Minister Boris Johnson offered his heartfelt congratulations to the Ukrainian people, insisting that "for however long it takes, the United Kingdom will stand with you".
Mr Johnson said: "Alas, today, Ukraine's independence is threatened once again, and people are fighting with steel, with courage to defend their homes and their families and to preserve their right to decide their own destiny in their own country.
"I have never doubted for a moment that Ukraine is going to win this struggle, because no force on earth can overcome the patriotism of 44 million Ukrainians.
"And however long it takes, the United Kingdom will stand with Ukraine and provide every possible military, economic and humanitarian support.
He added: "One day, Ukraine will come through this ordeal and achieve victory. And when that moment comes, as it will, we in the UK will be even prouder to be friends of Ukraine."
