In crippling measures unveiled by Dominic Raab today, the UK has directly targeted President Alexander Lukashenko. The new sanctions aim to target trade and finance with the regime.

       They prohibit the purchase of transferable securities and money-market instruments issued by the Belarusian state and its state-owned banks.

       A ban on providing technical assistance to Lukashenko's private jets has also been imposed and the sancitons prevent Belarusian air carriers from overflying or landing in the UK.

       The measures are far more hard hitting than any that have bee imposed in the past year.

       Brussels' attempts to sanction the regime have been criticised for being ineffective.

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       Analysts say the measures from the EU leave Lukashenko largely unscathed and allow the regime to continue financing the economy and security forces.

       Mr Raab said: "The Lukashenko regime continues to crush democracy and violate human rights in Belarus.

       "These sanctions demonstrate that the UK will not accept Lukashenko’s actions since the fraudulent election.

       "The products of Lukashenko’s state-owned industries will not be sold in the UK, and our aerospace companies will not touch his fleet of luxury aircraft."

       Officials say the new measures are a significant additional step in ramping up pressure on the dictatorship.

       They say the sanctions will specifically target Lukashenko and his close allies while minimising impact on Belarus' general population.

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       The measures were announced on the one year anniversary of the country's fraudulent election, when Alexander Lukashenko clung on to power.

       The dictator has been in power in the former Soviet state since 1994.

       Lukashenko claimed an 80 percent victory in the election, leading to a wave of protests across the country.

       The President has already lashed out at the UK following the new measures.

       He told Britain to "choke on" the sanctions.

       He added: "You are America's lapdogs."

       The US has also announced fresh measures of its own this afternoon.

       In a sign the new measures unveiled by the UK and US may take their toll, Lukashenko has offered to start negotiations.

       He said he was inviting Western nations to a negotiations table to hold talks on the way forward.