Boris Johnson vows to ‘hobble’ Russia with sanctions over Ukraine invasion

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a televised address to the nation (Tolga Akmen/PA)

Boris Johnson has vowed that Britain “cannot and will not just look away” as Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine and pledged to unite with allies to respond with a massive package of sanctions designed to “hobble the Russian economy”.

In a televised statement at midday, the British Prime Minister said the world could not stand by and allow the freedom of Ukraine to be “snuffed out” as Moscow hit its neighbour with a wide-ranging attack, hitting cities and bases with airstrikes or shelling.