Russia seeks revenge with missile attacks

THE Kremlin yesterday sought revenge for the sinking of its Black Sea flagship, unleashing strikes against Ukrainian cities where civilians had thought they were now safe from Russian missiles.

It was a chilling reminder to Ukraine and its allies that the whole country remains under threat, despite Russian forces turning their attention to a new offensive in the east.

Following the sinking of the Moskva earlier this week, officials in the Kremlin vowed to retaliate. With potentially hundreds of sailors dead in what could be Russia’s greatest military loss of life since the Second World War, Moscow pummelled Ukraine with long-range missiles.

In Kyiv yesterday, a tank repair factory was hit on the outskirts of the capital, killing at least one person, according to Vitali Klitschko, the mayor.

Mr Klitschko warned Ukrainians who had fled abroad and were considering returning to stay away for the moment amid the renewed Russian attacks. In addition to Kyiv, there were also strikes in Ukraine’s second city, Kharkiv, where one died and 18 were injured.

Russian aircraft taking off from Belarus also targeted the safe haven of Lviv in the west, near the Polish border.

It came as Boris Johnson and several Cabinet ministers were banned from Russia by the Kremlin. Russia’s foreign ministry said it was because of the “unprecedented hostile actions of the British Government” in imposing sanctions. It accused Britain of “stirring up negative attitudes toward our country”.

Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, said about 2,500 to 3,000 of his country’s troops have been killed so far.

Mr Johnson spoke with Mr Zelensky by phone yesterday afternoon and received an update on the situation in Mariupol. “The Prime Minister said he saluted Ukrainian resistance in the city,” a Downing Street spokesman said.

‘The British step was taken as a response to London’s unbridled information and political campaign’

THE Kremlin has banned Boris Johnson and 12 senior British politicians from entering Russia in retaliation for sanctions.

The Prime Minister features on a list of banned individuals that includes Priti Patel, Rishi Sunak, Nicola Sturgeon, Dominic Raab, Liz Truss, Ben Wallace, Grant Shapps, Kwasi Kwarteng, Nadine Dorries, James Heappey, Suella Braverman and Theresa May.

Russia’s foreign ministry said the decision was taken because the UK had tried to isolate Russia and damage its economy after it invaded Ukraine.

It said in a statement that the move was due to the “unprecedented hostile actions” of the British government, referencing the sanctions imposed on Russian senior officials.

It added: “This step was a response to London’s unbridled information and political campaign aimed at isolating Russia internationally, creating conditions for restricting our country and strangling the domestic economy.

“The British leadership is deliberately aggravating the situation surrounding Ukraine, pumping the Kyiv regime with lethal weapons and coordinating similar efforts on behalf of Nato. The Russophobic course of action of the British authorities, whose main goal is to stir up negative attitude toward our country, curtailing of bilateral ties in almost all areas, are detrimental to the wellbeing and interests of the residents of Britain. Any sanctions attack will inevitably backfire on their initiators and receive a decisive rebuff.”

A spokesman for the UK government said: “The UK and our international partners stand united in condemning the Russian government’s reprehensible actions in Ukraine and calling for the Kremlin to stop the war. We remain resolute in our support for Ukraine.”

Mr Johnson was last in Russia in 2017 when he was foreign secretary. In what was the first visit by a British foreign secretary to Moscow in five years, he went to speak to Russian officials about global security.

Last week, Mr Johnson visited the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv to show his support.

During the visit he promised Ukraine 120 new armoured vehicles and antiship missile systems, which could be used to defend Mariupol, on Ukraine’s south coast.

His trip was revealed when Ukraine’s embassy in the UK tweeted a photo of the two leaders with the caption: “Surprise”.

Downing Street said the trip had been arranged as a “show of solidarity with the Ukrainian people” and that the two men had discussed “a new package of financial and military aid” and Britain’s “long-term support”.

Mr Johnson also promised to guarantee a further £385 million of World Bank lending to Ukraine, subject to parliamentary approval.

Mr Zelensky hailed Mr Johnson as “one of the most principled opponents of the Russian invasion”.

The UK has sanctioned 106 oligarchs, and their family members and associates, since February.

Ms Truss, the Foreign Secretary, said this week: “We are tightening the ratchet on Putin’s war machine and targeting the circle of people closest to the Kremlin.

“We will keep going with sanctions until Putin fails in Ukraine. Nothing and no one is off the table.”

Last week, the World Bank said Russia’s economy would contract by more than a tenth this year, while Ukraine’s would almost halve.