Britain is to step up action against Russia’s oil and gas industries as part of its efforts to isolate Vladimir Putin’s regime globally.

       Sanctions imposed by London in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine have so far focused largely on the banking and defence sectors, along with a handful of oligarchs close to the Russian president.

       But The Independent understands that the focus will move next week to measures directed at the energy industries which earn Russia much of its international revenues.

       It is hoped that these steps will have a quicker impact than the faltering campaign to freeze the UK assets of wealthy Russians, which have been slowed by legal requirements to establish a watertight case for each individual before acting.

       Putin cronies like Alisher Usmanov and Igor Shuvalov are now unable to sell, rent, visit or even repair their mansions worth millions in the UK. And ministers are even talking of seizing them for use housing Ukrainian refugees.

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       But with dozens of oligarchs being considered for sanction along with 350 members of the Moscow parliament, officials admit it could take months for blacklists to take effect.

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       Ukraine crisis 23 January 2022 An Ukrainian Military Forces serviceman, watches through spyglass in a dugout on the frontline with Russia-backed separatists near Gorlivka, Donetsk region

       AFP via Getty Images

       Ukraine crisis 23 January 2022 An Ukrainian Military Forces serviceman, caresses a dog in a dugout on the frontline with Russia-backed separatists near Gorlivka, Donetsk region

       AFP via Getty Images

       Ukraine crisis 23 January 2022 An Ukrainian Military Forces serviceman, looks on in a dugout on the frontline with Russia-backed separatists near Gorlivka, Donetsk region

       AFP via Getty Images

       Ukraine crisis 22 January 2022 Civilian participants in a Kyiv Territorial Defence unit train on a Saturday in a forest in Kyiv, Ukraine

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       Ukraine crisis 22 January 2022 Mariana, 52, a marketing researcher who for the past two years has been a volunteer in a Kyiv Territorial Defence unit, trains on a Saturday in a forest in Kyiv, Ukraine

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       Ukraine crisis 22 January 2022 Civilian participants in a Kyiv Territorial Defence unit train on a Saturday in a forest in Kyiv, Ukraine

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       Ukraine crisis 22 January 2022 A civilian participant in a Kyiv Territorial Defence unit waits to fend off a mock attack while training on a Saturday in a forest in Kyiv, Ukraine

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       Ukraine crisis 22 January 2022 An instructor trains members of Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Forces, volunteer military units of the Armed Forces, in a city park in Kyiv, Ukraine

       AP

       Ukraine crisis 22 January 2022 Civilian participants in a Kyiv Territorial Defence unit train on a Saturday in a forest in Kyiv, Ukraine

       Getty Images

       Ukraine crisis 22 January 2022 Mariana (C), 52, a marketing researcher who for the past two years has been a volunteer in a Kyiv Territorial Defence unit, trains on a Saturday in a forest in Kyiv, Ukraine

       Getty Images

       Ukraine crisis 22 January 2022 A member of Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Forces, volunteer military units of the Armed Forces, trains in a city park in Kyiv, Ukraine

       AP

       Ukraine crisis 22 January 2022 Civilian participants in a Kyiv Territorial Defence unit train on a Saturday in a forest in Kyiv, Ukraine

       Getty Images

       Ukraine crisis 22 January 2022 Members of Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Forces, volunteer military units of the Armed Forces, train in a city park in Kyiv, Ukraine

       AP

       Ukraine crisis 22 January 2022 Civilians, including Tatiana (L), 21, a university veterinary medicine student who is also enrolled in a military reserve program, participate in a Kyiv Territorial Defence unit training on a Saturday in a forest in Kyiv, Ukraine

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       Ukraine crisis 22 January 2022 Civilian participants in a Kyiv Territorial Defence unit train on a Saturday in a forest in Kyiv, Ukraine

       Getty Images

       Ukraine crisis 22 January 2022 Civilian participants in a Kyiv Territorial Defence unit train on a Saturday in a forest in Kyiv, Ukraine

       Getty Images

       Ukraine crisis 22 January 2022 Civilian participants in a Kyiv Territorial Defence unit train on a Saturday in a forest in Kyiv, Ukraine

       Getty Images

       Ukraine crisis 21 January 2022 A poster of Russian President Vladimir Putin is used as target practice along a trench on the frontline with Russia-backed separatists near Zolote village, in the Lugansk region

       AFP via Getty Images

       Ukraine crisis 20 January 2022 Russian servicemen standing at attention upon their arrival for the joint drills in Belarus

       MINISTRY OF DEFENCE REPUBLIC OF

       Ukraine crisis 20 January 2022 Russian infantry fighting vehicles upon their arrival for the joint drills in Belarus

       MINISTRY OF DEFENCE REPUBLIC OF

       Ukraine crisis 19 January 2022 A Russian armored vehicle drives off a railway platform after arrival in Belarus

       AP

       Ukraine crisis 19 January 2022 A service member of the Ukrainian Armed Forces stands next to a BM-21 “Grad” multiple rocket launcher during tactical military exercises at a shooting range in the Kherson region, Ukraine

       via REUTERS

       Ukraine crisis 19 January 2022 A Russian armored vehicle drives off a railway platform after arrival in Belarus

       AP

       Ukraine crisis 19 January 2022 A satellite image shows equipment deployed at Klimovo Railyard in Klimovo, Russia

       via REUTERS

       Ukraine crisis 19 January 2022 A satellite image shows an closer view of tank artillery and support equipment from the deployed units in Yelnya (130km/80miles east of Russia/Belarus border)

       Satellite image ？？2022 Maxar Tech

       Ukraine crisis 19 January 2022 A satellite image shows a close view of tanks artillery and tents in the Pogonov training area of Voronez, Russia

       Satellite image ？？2022 Maxar Tech

       Ukraine crisis 18 January 2022 A convoy of Russian armored vehicles moves along a highway in Crimea

       AP

       Ukraine crisis 18 January 2022 Yura and Viktor, Ukrainian soldiers with the 56th Brigade in a trench on the front line in Pisky, Ukraine

       Getty

       Ukraine crisis 18 January 2022 Anatoliy, a Ukrainian soldier with the 56th Brigade, in a trench on the front line in Pisky, Ukraine

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       Ukraine crisis 18 January 2022 Anatoliy and other Ukrainian soldiers with the 56th Brigade in a trench on the front line in Pisky, Ukraine

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       Ukraine crisis 18 January 2022 Ukrainian soldiers with the 56th Brigade walk past a destroyed building on the front line in Pisky, Ukraine

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       Ukraine crisis 18 January 2022 Ukrainian Military Forces servicemen stand in a trench on the frontline with Russia-backed separatists near Verkhnetoretske village, in the Donetsk region

       AFP via Getty Images

       Ukraine crisis 18 January 2022 Mykola, a Ukrainian soldier with the 56th Brigade, near the front line in Pisky, Ukraine

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       Ukraine crisis 18 January 2022 Mykola and Viktor, Ukrainian soldiers with the 56th Brigade, in a trench on the front line in Pisky, Ukraine

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       Ukraine crisis 18 January 2022 Ira and Katya, Ukrainian soldiers with the 56th Brigade, on the front line in Pisky, Ukraine

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       Ukraine crisis 18 January 2022 Ira, Katya and Alyona, Ukrainian soldiers with the 56th Brigade, on the front line in Pisky, Ukraine

       Getty Images

       Ukraine crisis 18 January 2022 A convoy of Russian armored vehicles moves along a highway in Crimea

       AP

       Ukraine crisis 18 January 2022 Russian troop train transporting military vehicles arriving for drills in Belarus

       MINISTRY OF DEFENCE REPUBLIC OF

       Ukraine crisis 18 January 2022 Russian servicemen preparing military vehicles to unload from a troop train for the joint drills in Belarus

       MINISTRY OF DEFENCE REPUBLIC OF

       Ukraine crisis 18 January 2022 Russian troop train transporting military vehicles arriving for drills in Belarus

       MINISTRY OF DEFENCE REPUBLIC OF

       Ukraine crisis 18 January 2022 Russian servicemen holding a traditional Belarus’ bread and salt upon their arrival for the joint drills in Belarus

       MINISTRY OF DEFENCE REPUBLIC OF

       Ukraine crisis 18 January 2022 Mykola, a Ukrainian soldier with the 56th Brigade, poses for a portrait in a trench on the front line in Pisky, Ukraine

       Getty Images

       Ukraine crisis 18 January 2022 Mykola, a Ukrainian soldier with the 56th Brigade, in a trench on the front line in Pisky, Ukraine

       Getty Images

       Ukraine crisis 17 January 2022 Ukrainian soldiers walk in a trench near the front line in the village of New York, formerly known as Novhorodske, Ukraine

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       Ukraine crisis 17 January 2022 An Ukrainian soldier walks in a trench near the front line in the village of New York, formerly known as Novhorodske, Ukraine

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       Ukraine crisis 17 January 2022 An Ukrainian soldier uses a hand-held periscope to view the positions of Russian-backed troops in a trench near the front line in the village of New York, formerly known as Novhorodske, Ukraine

       Getty Images

       Foreign secretary Liz Truss on Friday used meetings with allied counterparts in Brussels to urge the West to wean itself off Russian energy supplies as a key means of imposing a price on Putin for his aggression.

       EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell did not rule out the suspension of EU gas imports, telling reporters who asked if that was an option: "We will consider everything. Everything remains on the table."

       While sanctions have disrupted much of Russia’s trade with the outside world, gas and oil supplies have kept flowing – and the spike in global prices has done much to offset the impact on Moscow of losses elsewhere.

       The UK imports only around 3 per cent of its gas from Russia, compared to around 40 per cent for the EU, which also gets 25 per cent of its oil from its eastern neighbour.

       Boris Johnson has said that Europe needs to “work together to wean ourselves off - to end the dependency on - Russian gas”, and has suggested that the UK could assist allies with renewable technologies to help make the switch from fossil fuels.

       And ministers have told officials working on the UK sanctions package in Whitehall that energy is an area where they want tougher action.

       Measures already announced in the financial sector are believed to have had a knock-on impact on Russian energy firms, for instance by stopping Gazprom from continuing to raise billions for investment from the London markets, as it has in recent years.

       Any direct sanctions on energy firms are likely to be taken in co-ordination with US and EU allies, as unilateral action might have the impact only of raising prices on the global market.

       Vladimir Putin with Alisher Usmanov

       (AP)

       Practical measures to wean the EU off its reliance on Russian energy could include a significant increase in deliveries of liquified natural gas from sources such as Qatar at ports across the Continent, with the aim of meeting demand next winter if supplies from Russia are cut off.

       It is thought that EU states like Germany and Italy which are heavily reliant on Russian gas have enough stocks to see them through the remainder of the colder months, and there are hopes that new distribution networks could help ensure supplies of LNG are available to them by the autumn.

       A partial ban on Russia’s use of the Swift financial transaction system has permitted continued payments for fuel.

       This map shows the extent of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

       (Press Association Images)

       And while Russian ships are banned from docking at British ports, vessels from other countries carrying Russian gas are still allowed to unload.

       Dockers at the LNG terminal on the Isle of Grain in Kent refused to unload tankers carrying Russian gas.

       Also likely to be next in line for UK measures is the services sector, with the Treasury already taking action to restrict action to the insurance market and similar steps likely to follow.

       Recommended Russian oligarchs named in new US sanction list over Ukraine invasion Sanctions imposed on Russian oligarchs including Usmanov over Ukraine invasion UK has ‘tolerated Russian kleptocrats’ in football for too long, says Nadine Dorries

       And legislation is expected to give longer-term effect to the exclusion of Russian aviation from UK airports, initially introduced last week through temporary orders.