As the US, UK, and EU issued sanctions in reaction to the invasion of Ukraine, a Russian official warned that relations between Moscow and Western countries were on the verge of breaking down, according to INDEPENENT.
The sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, demonstrate the West's "total impotency" in foreign affairs. "Neither Putin nor Lavrov have accounts in the United Kingdom or anyplace else," she added, dismissing them.
On Saturday, Ukraine was invaded by Russia for the third day, with no evidence of discussions between Moscow and Kyiv to end the conflict.
"It was not our decision." According to the AFP news agency, Zakharova said on Russian television, "We wanted conversation, but the Anglo-Saxons closed those alternatives one by one, and we began behaving differently." "It's not because of threats; the problem is that we've crossed the line beyond which there's no turning back."
Her comments came before the White House declared on Friday that Putin and Lavrov would face personal sanctions. A travel ban would be one of the consequences.
Sanctions against Putin have also been announced by the European Union and the United Kingdom.
Boris Johnson warned on Friday that sanctions will be imposed "imminently" against them. In reaction to Russia's military offensive in eastern Europe, the UK government announced asset freezes on Russian banks, airlines, and oligarchs linked to the Kremlin on Thursday.
After Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pushed for more severe action to punish Russia's incursion, EU members decided on Friday to freeze Putin and Lavrov's European assets.
"It's a politically significant signal," a senior EU official said of the decision to go after key Kremlin figures.
The new set of penalties, according to one EU official, will be followed by another that will target "many more" Russian oligarchs. “We are moving as quickly as we can,” the official said.
Russian troops arrived in Kyiv, Ukraine's capital, early Saturday morning, storming a military post and attempting to take control of an electrical producing facility. It came just hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky anticipated a big attack on the city by Russian soldiers overnight.
As explosions broke out across the city and scared families sought refuge in subway stations, Zelensky stated on Friday night that the "fate of Ukraine is being decided right now." He went on to say that Russia would use all of its strength to "crush our resistance."
"We must persevere this night," he urged. "This night will be difficult, extremely difficult, but the morning will arrive."
Thousands of volunteers have been armed with firearms in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, as the government seeks any help it can get to oppose the Moscow invasion.
Meanwhile, Moscow vetoed a United Nations resolution calling for an end to its full-fledged invasion of Ukraine.
At least 137 people have been killed, including civilians, according to Ukraine, but Moscow has not disclosed any casualty data.
Follow the latest news on Google News
