Britain has sanctioned hundreds of Russian parliamentarians as the government seeks to further “screw” President Vladimir Putin’s administration over Ukraine’s invasion.
The government said on Friday that 386 members of Duma, the House of Commons of the Russian Parliament, have been banned from traveling to Britain and their domestic assets will be frozen.
According to the Foreign, Commonwealth Development (FCDO), in February they recognized the independence of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions of eastern Ukraine and sanctioned them in a vote to approve the permanent existence of Russian troops there. received.
Today, I sanctioned 386 Russian members of the House for supporting Putin’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine.
We mean what we say. Together with our allies and partners, we deprive the Russian economy and shut down Putin’s war machines. https://t.co/55ouGxnwZx
— Liz Truss (@trussliz) March 11, 2022
Foreign Minister Liz Truss, who announced the decision, said: We will not relieve pressure and will continue to tighten the screw into the Russian economy through sanctions.
“We stand firmly with our allies by our friends in Ukraine. We will continue to support Ukraine in humanitarian aid, defense weapons, and diplomatic activities to isolate Russia internationally. “
This follows the government’s announcement that seven Russian oligarchs, including Chelsea football club owner Roman Abramovich, have been hit by a UK travel ban and asset freeze over their close ties to Putin.
Since the Russian invasion began on February 24, the UK has sanctioned Russia’s 18 oligarchs for a total value of over £ 30 billion ($ 39 billion), according to the FCDO.
Overall, the UK has sanctioned more than 500 of Russia’s most important and valuable individuals, groups and subsidiaries.
In a speech in Washington on Thursday, Truss needs to continue more, including Western allies freezing all Russian banking assets and completely excluding Russia from the SWIFT global payment system. Said.
“We want a situation where they don’t have access to money, they can’t settle payments, trade doesn’t flow, ships can’t dock, and planes can’t land,” she said.
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia has been hit by severe sanctions that could put Russia in serious danger.
More than 2 million people have fled Ukraine since the invasion began two weeks ago. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltemberg describes the situation as “the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.”
Tom Ozimek and PA Media contributed to this report.
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