Relations between Russia and the West are at a “point of no return,” Moscow says

Relationships between Moscow and Western countries are close to a point of no return, a Russian official warned on Friday when the US, UK and EU announced sanctions in response to the invasion of Ukraine.

Spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said sanctions against the Russian president Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov showed the “complete impotence” of Western foreign policy. Rejecting them, she added: “Neither Putin nor Lavrov have accounts in the UK or anywhere abroad.”

Ukraine is under Russian invasion on the third day on Saturdaywithout signs of talks between Moscow and Kiev resolve the conflict.

“It wasn’t our choice. We wanted a dialogue, but one by one the Anglo-Saxons closed these possibilities and we started to act differently, “Zakharova was quoted as saying by Russian television, according to the AFP news agency. “Not because of the threats, but the thing is, we’ve reached the line where the point of no return begins.”

Her statement was before White House announced on Friday that the U.S. would personally sanction Putin and Lavrov. Sanctions would include a travel ban.

The European Union in sanctions have also been announced by the UK against Mr. Putin.

Boris Johnson will “immediately” impose sanctions directly aimed at them, it announced on Friday. 10. Comes after the United Kingdom Government introduced a freeze on Russian banksairlines and oligarchs near the Kremlin on Thursday in response to a military offensive in the Eastern European country.

EU countries agreed on Friday to freeze all European funds of Mr Putin and Mr Lavrov after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for stronger sanctions against Russiainvasion.

“This is a politically important signal,” the senior EU diplomat said, referring to the decision to attack high-ranking Kremlin figures.

One EU official said the latest round of sanctions would be followed by another that could target “more” Russian oligarchs. “We are moving as fast as we can,” the official said.

Russian troops reached the Ukrainian capital Kiev early Saturday morning, attacked a military base in the city and tried to seize a power generation station. It came just hours after the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky he predicted Russian troops would carry out a major attack overnight in the city.

Zelensky said on Friday night that “Ukraine’s fate is being decided right now” as explosions erupted around the city and desperate families, who had taken refuge in subway stations. He added that Russia used all his strength to break our resistance.

“We have to persevere tonight,” he said. “This night will be hard, very hard, but the morning will come.”

Thousands of volunteers have been armed with rifles in the capital, Kiev, as the Ukrainian government seeks any help to repel a Russian attack.

meanwhile Russia blocked a UN resolution calling for an end to its large-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine said at least 137 people, including civilians, had been killed, while Russia had not released casualties.