Anti-war demonstrators and Ukrainians living in the UK gathered this afternoon outside Downing Street to protest against Russia’s military operation in Ukraine.
Hundreds of people – many waving the blue and yellow flag of Ukraine – remain at the ‘Stop Putin! Stop the War’ rally this evening, in the area surrounding the gates near the Prime Minister’s residence in Whitehall.
Among the messages displayed on placards were ‘Putin. Hands off Ukraine’, ‘Peace for Ukraine’ and ‘No to war’.
It comes as Boris Johnson today announced that the UK will ‘imminently’ level personal sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin and his foreign minister Sergei Lavrov.
Anti-war demonstrators and Ukrainians living in the UK gathered this afternoon outside Downing Street to protest against Russia’s military operation in Ukraine
Hundreds of people – many waving the blue and yellow flag of Ukraine – remain at the rally this evening, in the area surrounding the gates near the Prime Minister’s residence in Whitehall
Among the messages displayed on placards were ‘Putin. Hands off Ukraine’, ‘Peace for Ukraine’ and ‘No to war’
The rally comes as Boris Johnson today announced that the UK will ‘imminently’ level personal sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin and his foreign minister Sergei Lavrov
Hundreds of Ukrainians attended the protest in London, which began at 5pm today. The Prime Minister told Nato leaders in a virtual meeting on Friday that the UK would echo measures announced by the EU to target the Russian leader
Police officers continue to monitor the protest in Whitehall this evening. Referring to Mr Putin’s wish to recover territory which previously fell under the USSR, Mr Johnson said Russia was ‘engaging in a revanchist mission to overturn the post-Cold War order’
The Prime Minister told Nato leaders in a virtual meeting on Friday that the UK would echo measures announced by the EU to target the Russian leader.
Referring to Mr Putin’s wish to recover territory which previously fell under the USSR, he said Russia was ‘engaging in a revanchist mission to overturn the post-Cold War order’.
Mr Johnson told allies ‘the UK would introduce sanctions against President Putin and foreign minister Sergei Lavrov imminently, on top of the sanctions package the UK announced yesterday’, according to a No 10 spokesman.
‘He warned the group that the Russian president’s ambitions might not stop there and that this was a Euro-Atlantic crisis with global consequences,’ he said.
Above, demonstrators near No.10 tonight. Mr Johnson told allies ‘the UK would introduce sanctions against President Putin and foreign minister Sergei Lavrov imminently, on top of the sanctions package the UK announced yesterday’, according to a No 10 spokesman
Protestors show their solidarity with Ukraine at the London rally. The Prime Minister used his meeting to urge ‘immediate action’ over the banning of Russia from the Swift payment system to ‘inflict maximum pain’ on the Kremlin
Some anti-war demonstrators bore the colours of the Ukraine flag on their cheeks. The British Government has faced criticism that it has still not gone far enough despite measures to hit more oligarchs, and targeting more than 100 businesses and individuals
The scene in Whitehall on Friday evening. With Russian forces continuing to advance towards Kyiv, beleaguered Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said sanctions had so far done nothing to deter the Russian onslaught
The Prime Minister also used the meeting to urge ‘immediate action’ over the banning of Russia from the Swift payment system to ‘inflict maximum pain’ on the Kremlin.
The move to sanction President Putin and Mr Lavrov comes after the European Union announced it was considering a similar move against the two men as it set out its latest round of measures in concert with the US and the UK.
The Government has faced criticism that it has still not gone far enough despite measures to hit five further oligarchs, and targeting more than 100 businesses and individuals.
With Russian forces continuing to advance towards Kyiv, beleaguered Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said sanctions had so far done nothing to deter the Russian onslaught.
A woman holds a ‘Pray for Ukraine’ sign at the rally. It comes a day after countries around the world lit up their buildings in Ukraine’s flag colours to show their solidarity as Russian forces seized control of Chernobyl nuclear power plant after a ‘fierce’ battle
A Ukrainian expat makes his feelings known at the rally. Despite beginning the attack on Thursday, the Russian forces have yet to take any of the main population centres and officials believe they failed to achieve most of their day one objectives for the invasion
Some protestors implored Nato to ‘block the sky over Ukraine’. One official noted that the Russians were known to have thermobaric weapons in their armoury and that they had used them in previous conflicts
Some demonstrators were draped in the Ukraine flag as they gathered in the centre of London today
The London Eye was lit up in yellow and blue in an expression of solidarity with Ukraine following Russia’s invasion
Meanwhile, Western officials have warned that the Russians could resort to thermobaric weapons – used to generate powerful, high-temperature explosions – if the Ukrainian military resistance continues to hold up their assault.
Despite beginning the attack on Thursday, the Russian forces have yet to take any of the main population centres and officials believe they failed to achieve most of their day one objectives for the invasion.
One official noted that the Russians were known to have thermobaric weapons in their armoury and that they had used them in previous conflicts.
‘My fear would be that if they don’t meet their timescale and objectives, they would be indiscriminate in their use of violence,’ the official said.
On Thursday, countries around the world lit up their buildings in Ukraine’s flag colours to show their solidarity as Russian forces seized control of Chernobyl nuclear power plant after a ‘fierce’ battle.
Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate was illuminated with stripes of yellow and blue, as was the front of 10 Downing Street and Flinders Train Station in Melbourne, Australia as other nations have similar plans in place to show their support.
The Colosseum in Rome, Italy was also lit up after Italy’s Minister of Cultural Heritage and Activities of Italy Dario Franceschini tweeted about it.
