Russia has imposed sanctions on 287 British MPs, including Rebecca Harris, banning them from the country in retaliation to the UK’s response to the invasion of Ukraine.

Russia’s sanctions on Rebecca and other MPs were in retaliation to the Government’s decisive action against Russia - the most severe set of sanctions Russia has ever seen.

Rebecca Harris MP commented:

“I have been sanctioned by Russia! The Kremlin has said they sanctioned those who took the most active part in the establishment of anti-Russian sanctions. As the Foreign Office Government Whip, I have been responsible for securing the legislation passing through the House to sanction Russia and its oligarchs.

“I will wear these sanctions as a badge of honour and they will not deter me from standing united against Russian aggression.”

Sanctions that the Government has imposed on Russia so far include:

• Over 1,400 individuals and entities sanctioned since Russia’s invasion. These sanctions on individuals, entities and subsidiaries deal a severe blow to the Russian economy, hobbling Russia’s military-industrial complex, and personally punishing Putin and his inner circle.
• Freezing £500 billion in Russian bank assets and preventing Russian banks from accessing finance, preventing Putin from raising money to support his unprovoked aggression. The Government has so far frozen £500 billion of Russian bank assets, as well as stopping the Russian state from being able to borrow in UK markets and issue sovereign debt; blocking the ability of major Russian banks to operate in sterling around the world; and limiting the amount of money Russian nationals can deposit in their UK bank accounts.
• Phasing out all imports of Russian coal and oil by the end of the year, cutting off a key source of funding for Putin’s regime while limiting the impact on consumers. The Government is phasing out all imports of Russian coal, oil and oil products by the end of 2022, and banning the export of oil refining equipment and catalysts from next week –while cutting fuel duty, implementing a £9 billion energy support package and giving businesses enough time to ensure a smooth transition so that consumers will not be affected.
• Sanctions imposed by the UK and its international partners are having deep and damaging consequences for Putin’s ability to wage war. Analysis shows Russia is heading for the deepest recession since the collapse of the Soviet Union with £275 billion – 60% of Russian foreign currency reserves – currently frozen.

Russia’s appalling assault on Ukraine is an unprovoked, premeditated attack against a sovereign, democratic state and the Government is relentlessly committed to supporting Ukraine through this dark hour. In addition to the most severe set of sanctions Russia has ever seen, the Government is also supporting Ukraine as their largest European bilateral humanitarian donor, providing over £400 million in aid alongside military support and our offers of sanctuary to innocent Ukrainians.