Kyiv hit by ‘horrific rocket strikes’ as Russian invasion enters second day; 137 killed as 100,000 civilians flee their homes | Ukraine latest

The West is aiming to make Russia an “international pariah” with a tougher raft of new sanctions, an expert has said.

Counter-corruption adviser to Congress, Paul Messaro, said that sanctions had been about deterrence before Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “Hitler-esque tirade and attack on major cities”.

But Russia now appears to be trying to “wipe Ukraine off the map”, he said.

New sanctions will be aimed at isolating Mr Putin and “dismantling and degrading Russia’s war machine”.

Mr Messaro said the West will be making Russia an “international pariah”, putting Russia on the level of Iran, North Korea and Venezuela.