‘This Hideous And Barbaric Venture Of Vladimir Putin Must End In Failure’: U.K. PM Boris Johnson First Major Leader To Act, Will Freeze Russian Bank Assets

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson was the first major world leader to move against Russia following their invasion of Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday morning. Johnson announced a freeze on the assets of all large Russian banks, as well as plans to bar Russian companies and their government from raising money through British markets.

“Britain will also ban the export to Russia of a wide range of high-tech products, including semiconductors, and prohibit the nation’s flagship airline, Aeroflot, from landing at British airports,” The Associated Press added.

“Shortly after 4 o’clock this morning I spoke to president Zelensky of Ukraine to offer the continued support of the U.K. because our worst fears have now come true and all our warnings have proved tragically accurate,” Johnson said in a public address. “President Putin of Russia has unleashed war in our European continent. He has attacked a friendly country without any provocation and without any credible excuse.”

“Innumerable missiles and bombs have been raining down on an entirely innocent population. A vast invasion is underway by land by sea and by air,” Johnson continued. “And this is not in the infamous phrase some faraway country of which we know little. We have Ukrainian friends in this country; neighbors, co-workers. Ukraine is a country that for decades has enjoyed freedom and democracy and the right to choose its own destiny.”