Moscow bans Johnson and Cupboard ministers from Russia

Boris Johnson and different British Cupboard ministers have been positioned on a Kremlin blacklist and banned from coming into Russia in response to sanctions in opposition to the nation, stories counsel.

The Prime Minister, International Secretary Liz Truss, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, Justice Secretary Dominic Raab, and former PM Theresa Could are believed to be amongst these on the record, in line with the Russian information company Tass.

Russia’s international ministry stated in an announcement the transfer was as a result of “unprecedented hostile actions of the British Authorities, expressed, specifically, within the imposition of sanctions in opposition to high officers” in Russia.

It added: “The Russophobic plan of action of the British authorities, whose major purpose is to fire up unfavorable angle towards our nation, curbing of bilateral ties in nearly all areas, are detrimental to the wellbeing and pursuits of the residents of Britain. Any sanctions assault will inevitably backfire on their initiators and obtain a decisive rebuff.”

It comes as Russian troops restarted assaults on the Ukrainian capital after a short reprieve.

A UK Authorities spokesperson stated: “The UK and our worldwide companions stand united in condemning the Russian authorities’s reprehensible actions in Ukraine and calling for the Kremlin to cease the conflict. We stay resolute in our assist for Ukraine.”

Mr Johnson spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday afternoon.

A Downing Avenue spokesperson stated: “The Prime Minister paid tribute to the bravery of Ukrainian forces who proceed to valiantly defend their nation’s freedom.

“President Zelensky up to date the Prime Minister on the scenario in Mariupol, and the Prime Minister stated he saluted Ukrainian resistance within the metropolis.

“The pair mentioned the necessity for a long-term safety answer for Ukraine, and the Prime Minister stated he would proceed to work intently with allies and companions to make sure Ukraine might defend its sovereignty within the weeks and months to come back.

“The Prime Minister up to date President Zelensky on new sanctions from the UK that got here into pressure final week, and stated the UK would proceed to offer the means for Ukraine to defend itself, together with armoured automobiles within the coming days.

“The Prime Minister stated worldwide assist for Ukraine solely grew stronger and that he remained satisfied Ukraine would succeed and Putin would fail.”

In the meantime, at residence, a former Cupboard minister stated the Houses for Ukraine scheme the place households can soak up these fleeing the conflict is “bumpy” and visas are taking too lengthy to be processed.

Robert Jenrick, who was beforehand communities secretary, revealed his household are housing a Ukrainian mom and her two kids.

He’s among the many first MPs to have managed to get a Ukrainian household to the UK, with Tory North Norfolk MP Duncan Baker saying earlier this month that he had welcomed a mom and her son.

However Mr Jenrick stated the method by which Maria, 40, and her two kids, Bohdan, 15, and Khrystyna, 11, had acquired to the UK was “traumatic”. Their father has stayed in Ukraine to struggle within the conflict.

Surroundings minister Victoria Prentis took in a 25-year-old Ukrainian refugee final month below a separate customer visa scheme, whereas different MPs and ministers have stated they’ve utilized to host households.

Mr Jenrick advised the Telegraph’s Chopper’s Politics podcast: “It has been a really tough expertise for them. Even the expertise of coming right here was traumatic.

“They spent seven hours queuing on the Polish border earlier than they have been in a position to lastly depart Ukraine, catch the flight to the UK, and the experiences which they’ve had and their kin have had in numerous components of the nation over the past two or three months are actually harrowing.”

On the method, he stated: “Fact be advised it has been a bumpy begin to the scheme. It’s taken too lengthy to get visas, for us it took about three weeks to get all three visas permitted.

“And so there are people who find themselves pissed off, it has examined the endurance of sponsors and, extra importantly, of the households and people themselves.

“However having been concerned in some schemes that aren’t dissimilar to this prior to now, just like the Hong Kong scheme, Syrian scheme, Afghan scheme as a minister, as communities secretary, I do know that. However I do assume that we are going to recover from these bumps, we’re getting over them now.”

Mr Jenrick stated the scheme because it stands is “overly bureaucratic”.

He added: “There have been easy issues that we might and may have executed from the outset, like having the shape in Ukrainian, for instance.

“And I’m undecided whether or not you’ll want to be doing checks on minors who’re extraordinarily unlikely to be threats to this nation.”

He stated some safety checks are wanted, however added: “The checks have to be executed shortly and on this case I’m afraid it has taken too lengthy.”

Mr Jenrick stated he has not but obtained the £350 he’s entitled to for internet hosting the household, however whether it is provided he’ll both not settle for it or cross it on to the refugees.

“To this point… it’s been very rewarding to see them feeling protected eventually after a really traumatic expertise and starting to stabilise them and rebuild their lives,” he stated.

Former well being secretary Matt Hancock stated final week he’s planning to soak up seven Ukrainian refugees at his Suffolk residence.

He stated the visa course of had been a “problem”.

Round 16,400 individuals had arrived within the UK below Ukraine visa schemes by Monday, in line with Authorities figures.

About 13,200 had arrived below the Ukraine household scheme and three,200 below the Houses for Ukraine sponsorship scheme, provisional knowledge exhibits.

Some 94,700 functions have been obtained for each schemes and 56,500 visas had been granted by Thursday, the Division for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the Dwelling Workplace stated.