Boris Johnson news – live: Lavrov’s ‘stepdaughter’ hit by sanctions, as Shapps to take in family of refugees
The UK has sanctioned the “step-daughter” of Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov in its latest raft of economic measures against those with close ties to the Kremlin.
The British government targeted Polina Kovaleva and 64 other individuals and companies on Thursday – a month into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – to put more pressure on Russia to end the war.
The 26-year-old, who is thought to have worked for Russian energy giant Gazprom after gaining degrees from two British universities, lives in a multi-million pound home in London.
Her sanctioning comes soon after supporters of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny named her mother as Mr Lavrov’s alleged long-time lover, querying how Ms Kovaleva had the means to fund such a lavish lifestyle.
Transport secretary Grant Shapps, meanwhile, has revealed he is taking in a family of Ukrainian refugees.
He told Sky News: “I’m in touch, as I say, with my opposite number and also with the Ukrainian family who are coming to live with us in our home, and so I’m hearing about it direct on the ground.
“They are incredibly grateful to the British people for everything that we are doing.”
