UK Foreign Secretary: Russia Likely to Plan Entry into Ukraine's Capital Kyiv

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said on the 23rd (Korean time) that it is highly likely that Russia is planning to enter Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine.

Secretary Truss made this remark during consecutive interviews with British media such as BBC and Sky News, saying, "The situation is extremely concerning, so I have advised British nationals to leave as soon as possible."

Secretary Truss then responded to the Conservative Party's criticism that sanctions against five Russian banks and three oligarchs close to Russian President Vladimir Putin were weak, stating, "They will inflict pain on President Putin, his regime, and the Russian economy."

He emphasized, "Sanctions were coordinated with the US and Europe to prevent President Putin from dividing allies," adding, "We are united and have shown that we will strengthen sanctions in the event of a full-scale invasion."

Secretary Truss said, "Russian forces are surrounding Ukraine, so we do not know exactly where the attack will occur," but added, "If we see it, we will respond immediately." Regarding additional sanctions, he said, "We will block the sale of Russian government bonds in the London financial market."

He also said, "It is unclear whether Russian forces have entered the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR)."

President Putin approved the independence of these regions in eastern Ukraine at the request of pro-Russian separatist forces and said he would send troops under the name of peacekeepers. He said, "The current situation is ambiguous," adding, "There is all kinds of false information circulating on the internet, so intelligence agencies must verify it thoroughly."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.