Russia's invasion of Ukraine has begun so Britain will impose sanctions on Russia, a senior British minister said on Tuesday as Prime Minister Boris Johnson chaired a meeting of the government's emergency response to the Ukraine crisis.
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the deployment of troops to the two breakaway regions of eastern Ukraine after recognizing them independence on Monday, accelerating a crisis that the West fears could spark a major war.
A Reuters witness saw tanks and other military equipment moving through the separatist-held city of Donetsk after Putin formally recognized the breakaway region and ordered the deployment of Russian troops to "maintain the peace".
"You can conclude that the invasion of Ukraine has begun," UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid told Sky News. "Russia, President Putin, has decided to attack Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity."
"We will impose sanctions as we said we will always do," he said.
The UK has threatened to cut off Russian companies' access to US dollars and British pounds, deter them from raising capital in London and to expose what Johnson calls "Russian puppets" of company property and holdings.
Britain has not made clear who the sanctions will be, but has promised that there will be no place for the Russian oligarchs to hide. Johnson said targets could include Russian banks.
Javid said the sanctions would be announced in a statement to parliament by Johnson.
"I am confident that we will make those sanctions as targeted as possible to those responsible for this flagrant violation of international law," Javid said.
