The UK has imposed sanctions on 65 more Russian people and businesses aimed at cutting off “vital industries fuelling Putin’s war machine”, the foreign secretary said.

Liz Truss announced the fresh sanctions, which include the Wagner Group of Russian mercenaries – seen as Vladimir Putin’s private army – and Alfa Bank, Russia’s largest private bank.

Some of the individuals sanctioned include Polina Kovaleva, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov’s stepdaughter, billionaire oil tycoon Eugene Shvidler and Herman Gref, the CEO of Russia’s largest bank Sberbank.

Galina Danilchenko, who was installed by Russia as the mayor of Melitopol in Ukraine after the actual mayor was kidnapped has also been sanctioned.

He is the first individual the UK has sanctioned for collaboration with Russian forces currently in Ukraine.

The UK has now sanctioned more than 1,000 Russian people and businesses in the four weeks since Russia invaded Ukraine.

Ms Truss said: “These oligarchs, businesses and hired thugs are complicit in the murder of innocent civilians and it is right that they pay the price.

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“Putin should be under no illusions – we are united with our allies and will keep tightening the screw on the Russian economy to help ensure he fails in Ukraine. There will be no let-up.”

Boris Johnson, in Brussels for summits with the US, the EU and the G7 over Ukraine, said: “We’ve got to step up, we’ve got to increase our support, we’ve got to tighten the economic vice around Putin, sanctioning more people today as we are, sanctioning the Wagner Group, looking at what we can do to stop Putin using his gold reserves, and also doing more to help the Ukrainians defend themselves.”

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