Joe Biden has announced US economic sanctions against Moscow after Boris Johnson unveiled the largest ever package of measures against Russia after Vladimir Putin launched an attack on Ukraine on Thursday.
The US president outlined stronger sanctions to “maximise a long-term impact on Russia and to minimise the impact on the United States and its allies”.
The sanctions will affect Russia’s ability to finance and grow its military, as well as hamper its ability to “compete in the high-tech 21st Century economy”, he said.
UK sanctions imposed mean all major Russian banks will face an immediate asset freeze and more than 100 businesses and wealthy individuals, including Russia’s youngest billionaire Kirill Shamalov and Manchester United sponsor Aeroflot, will face sanctions.
Boris Johnson called Putin a “bloodstained aggressor, who believes in imperial conquest” while announcing the sanctions in the Commons.
Russian troops have attacked Ukraine from the north, east and south and are advancing towards the capital Kiev.
Fighting has also broken out in the Chernobyl nuclear exclusion zone after Russian troops stormed the area.
Mr Putin announced the military operation on TV at 5.55am Moscow time and minutes later the first shelling and missiles were launched into Ukraine, according to reports.
Ukraine’s foreign minister has accused Russia of starting a full-scale war, and urged the UN “to do everything possible” to stop it.
