‘Sanctions intended to bring down Putin regime’

London: Western sanctions in retaliation for the invasion of Ukraine are designed to topple Russian President Vladimir Putin, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s spokesman said Monday.

But he also denied that regime change is the main goal, apparently rowing back at a daily briefing, after Britain, the United States and European Union imposed a biting series of measures against Putin.

"The measures we are introducing, that large parts of the world are introducing, are to bring down the Putin regime," the spokesman, who speaks on condition of anonymity, told reporters.