The Chancellor has called on the UK's allies to step up their pressure on Russia, as he attends the G20 in North Carolina.

John Healey has used his first international meetings with counterparts to build an international coalition to target covert Russian networks funding the country's war efforts.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) and the government have also issued the first ever nationwide alert against A7 to support the private sector in bearing down on sanctions evasion and ensure Russia pays the full cost of the sanctions.

Chancellor of the Exchequer, John Healey MP said: "We are ramping up the economic pressure on Putin and leaving those aiding his illegal war with nowhere to hide.

"The UK and our allies must step up our international cooperation to expose sanctions evasion, and disrupt the financial networks fuelling Russia’s aggression.

"Our commitment to stand with the Ukrainian people is unshakeable. We will bear down on those propping up Putin’s war as we push to secure a just and lasting peace."

Rachael Herbert, Director of the National Economic Crime Centre (NECC) at the National Crime Agency, said: "The National Crime Agency and the National Economic Crime Centre are committed to targeting the nexus between organised crime and sanctions evasion.

"Last year, our Operation Destabilise targeted and disrupted a major Russian-speaking professional money laundering network, making it harder for them to operate and degrading the threat they posed.

"And through our close working with the financial sector in our public private partnership initiatives, as well as with the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation, this alert will continue to ensure the industry is aware of the mechanisms used to attempt to evade sanctions."