Russian oligarchs ‘have blood on their hands’
Johnson targets more billionaires, including Chelsea owner, who stand accused of having close links to Putin, as two million flee Kyiv before forces move in, reports
BORIS Johnson has targeted a fresh round of Russian oligarchs accused of having the “blood of the Ukrainian people on their hands” – as reports emerged half of the population of Kyiv has evacuated in anticipation of more brutal attacks from Vladimir Putin’s forces.
Talks between the Ukrainian and Russian foreign ministers yesterday failed to make a breakthrough after Putin’s officials demanded surrender from the Kyiv government.
The stalled talks came as up to two million people are thought to have evacuated from Kyiv in anticipation of Russia continuing their assault.
In the port city of Mariupol, where an attack on hospital on Wednesday left three people, including a child dead, and 17 people injured, the International Red Cross warned that hundreds of thousands of civilians have no food, water, power or medical care as the situation was labelled “increasingly dire and desperate”.
The World Health Organisation said it has confirmation of 18 attacks on medical facilities since the Russian invasion began on February 24.
Yesterday, Ukraine said it had opened up seven humanitarian corridors, including one from Mariupol – but reports suggested an aid convoy attempting to reach the city was forced to turn around due to intense fighting.
Yesterday, the UK Government hit the owner of Chelsea FC, Roman Abramovitch, with an asset freeze and a travel ban after Tory ministers came under sustained pressure to target him over the invasion of Ukraine.
The updated sanctions list, which targets seven new Russian elites, said Mr Abramovich has had a “close relationship for decades” with Mr Putin, which the billionaire has previously denied.
Oleg Deripaska, an industrialist worth £2 billion who has had close links with the British political establishment, was also targeted, as was Mr Putin’s “right-hand man” Igor Sechin, who is the chief executive of the Rosneft state oil firm.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the Government targeted the oligarchs to “ramp up the pressure on the Putin regime and choke off funds to his brutal war machine”.
She added: “With their close links to Putin they are complicit in his aggression.
“The blood of the Ukrainian people is on their hands. They should hang their heads in shame.”
But the Government has been forced into a “long overdue U-turn” by introducing a new streamlined process meaning refugees fleeing Ukraine will no longer have to queue for visa appointments before coming to the UK.
Nicola Sturgeon said the overhaul “does not yet go far enough” as those wishing to come to the UK will still need family connections in Britain and will still need to complete an application in advance, albeit now online.
The UK Government has faced severe criticism for the slow pace at allowing refugees access to Britain, amid calls for the visa application process to be temporarily waived, as has been done in EU countries, to allow for a faster movement of people.
The Home Secretary told MPS that she had received assurances on security matters which enabled her to make changes to the Ukrainian family scheme.
Priti Patel stressed that “vital security checks will continue on all cases”.
She said: “From Tuesday, I can announce that Ukrainians with passports will no longer need to go to a visa application centre to give their biometrics before they come to the UK.
“Instead, once their application has been considered and appropriate checks completed, they will receive direct notification that they’re eligible for the scheme and can come to the UK.”
Ms Patel added: “In short,
Ukrainians with passports will be able to get permission to come here fully online from wherever they are and will be able to give their biometrics once in Britain.
“This will mean that visa application centres across Europe can focus their efforts on helping Ukrainians without passports.
“We have increased the capacity at those centres to over 13,000 appointments and the streamlined approach will be operational from Tuesday 15 March in order to make the relevant technology and IT changes.”
Labour shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper labelled the UK’S response to the refugee crisis as “shameful”.
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said he “strongly and wholeheartedly welcomed this longoverdue U-turn from the UK Government”.
Yesterday’s failed round of peace talks took place between Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov .
Mr Kuleba said he agreed with Mr Lavrov to continue to seek a solution to humanitarian issues caused by the war.
Mr Lavrov dismissed concerns about Russian military attacks on civilians, including on a maternity hospital, as “pathetic shrieks” from its enemies.
Ahead of yesterday’s talks, artillery fire was heard on the western edge of Kyiv, deputy interior minister Vadym Denysenko said.
He told Ukrainian TV that residents had a “rather difficult” night on the outskirts of the capital, with Russian forces starting by targeting military sites but then hitting residential areas.
The city’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said about two million people – half the residents of the metro area of the capital – have left the city, which has become virtually a fortress.
He said: “Every street, every house… is being fortified, the territorial defence is joining.
“Even people who in their lives never intended to change their clothes, now they are in uniform with machine guns in their hands.”
The UK Foreign Secretary yesterday warned Putin he would be making a “grave mistake” if he turned to chemical weapons as part of his continued assault on Ukraine.
Western governments believe the Russian leader could use the weapons, banned under international law, if he grows frustrated at a lack of progress in his invasion of Ukraine and it develops into a prolonged military campaign.
The UK Government has accused the Russian government of war crimes, including the bombing of the maternity hospital in Mariupol labelled an “atrocity” by the Ukrainian president.
The UK and US fear Russia could go further and carry out a chemical attack, potentially under the cover of a “false flag” operation.
The blood of the Ukrainian people is on their hands. They should hang their heads in shame