Vladimir Putin’s oligarchs will have “nowhere to hide” under toughened UK sanctions, and British weapons and cash could be sent to Ukraine if Russia invades, the foreign secretary has said.

Speaking to Sky News’ Trevor Phillips On Sunday amid growing tensions between the West and Moscow over Russia’s build-up of troops on Ukraine’s border, Liz Truss said: “The number one priority is deterring Vladimir Putin from taking that action.

“That’s why we are offering to deploy extra troops into Estonia, we are providing more air support across the Black Sea, and we are supplying defensive weapons to Ukraine to make sure they are in the best possible position should Vladimir Putin try to stage an incursion.

“What I’ll be announcing later this week is improved legislation on sanctions so we can target more Russian interests that are of direct relevance to the Kremlin.

“Because we absolutely need to stop this happening, that is our number one priority.”

She added she is “ruling absolutely nothing out” when it comes to support for Ukraine.

In a warning to those close to Mr Putin, Ms Truss said of the new UK sanctions law: “Any company of interest to the Kremlin and the regime in Russia would be able to be targeted.

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“So there would be nowhere to hide for Putin’s oligarchs or Russian companies involved in propping up the Russian state.

“That is what we are looking at doing this week.”

The foreign secretary also told Russia that it faced “a quagmire” like the Kremlin’s previous conflicts in Afghanistan and Chechnya, as she warned that “the Ukrainians will fight hard, they are not going to give up easily”.

She said the UK’s role was to “make sure” that a military invasion of Ukraine would not be “simple” for Russia.

Ms Truss will be visiting Ukraine this week before heading to Moscow next week for talks.

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