Ukraine latest news as Boris Johnson targets Putin’s ‘private army’ amid plea to allies

Russia is being hit with more sanctions, with Boris Johnson targeting the paramilitary Wagner Group - seen as Vladimir Putin’s private army. The Prime Minister has urged allies to “step up” their support against the invasion of Ukraine.

It comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for worldwide demonstrations against the Russian invasion, a month after the country launched its attack. An emergency Nato summit will be held in Brussels on Thursday (March 24) where Mr Zelensky will remotely address world leaders.

Mr Johnson will use the summit to commit to a new package of measures, including 6,000 more missiles to help fight the Russian President’s forces. The meeting is expected to sign off on the formation of four new battlegroups in eastern Europe, adding thousands more troops.

READ MORE: Manchester 'stands in solidarity' with Ukrainian refugees as new charity appeal is launched to help families desperately fleeing war

Speaking to broadcasters after landing in Belgium’s capital, Mr Johnson said: “Vladimir Putin is plainly determined to double down on his path of violence and aggression. Describing Mr Putin’s treatment of Ukrainians as “absolutely brutal”, he added: “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.”

The Foreign Office said it was sanctioning 65 more entities and individuals, including Russian billionaire Eugene Shvidler and Galina Danilchenko, who was installed by Moscow as the mayor of occupied Melitopol in south-east