Ukraine crisis: UK piles sanctions on Russia, Belarus

London: Britain has piled on further sanctions against Russia and also imposed a first wave of punitive measures against Belarus for its role in the invasion of Ukraine.

Russian ships have been banned from British ports in a fresh raft of UK sanctions against Moscow announced on Tuesday. The ban includes any vessels owned or operated by anyone connected to Russia, with UK authorities given new powers to detain Russian vessels. And, in what was termed as the "first tranche" of sanctions against Belarus, four senior defence officials and two military enterprises have been sanctioned with immediate effect under the UK's Russia sanctions regime.

"We are inflicting economic pain on Putin and those closest to him. We will not rest until Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity is restored," said UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.

"The Lukashenko regime actively aids and abets Russia's illegal invasion and will be made to feel the economic consequences for its support for Putin. There will be nowhere to hide. Nothing and no one is off the table," she said, with reference to Kremlin-supporting Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko. Those sanctioned include the Belarus Chief of the General Staff and First Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Victor Gulevich.

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said Gulevich is responsible for directing the actions of the Belarusian armed forces, which have supported and enabled the Russian invasion of Ukraine.