UK support for Russia sanctions could be eroded by further energy price rises, poll shows

Approval for action against Moscow in response to its invasion of Ukraine is still strong

Protesters against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. AP Photo

Support among the British public for sanctions against Russia could suffer if energy bills continue to rise, a poll has revealed.

The Ipsos survey suggests approval for action against Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine is still strong, at 70 per cent.

However, only 41 per cent said they would still back the sanctions if energy bills rise still further.

That is significantly down from March, when 73 per cent of people said they were willing to endure energy price increases.

Since then bills have more than doubled.

According to the survey, which was commissioned by Sky News, about a third of people (32 per cent) said they would be against sanctions if they led to higher energy bills, up from 8 per cent in March.

On Monday, missile strikes were reported across Ukraine, including the capital, after Russia blamed Kyiv for a drone attack against its Black Sea Fleet.

Part of the capital was cut off from power and water supplies due to the barrage, Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Engineers were working to restore power on Monday to 350,000 people.

Possible power cuts in the cities of Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia were also reported.

The head of Ukraine’s presidential office, Andriy Yermak, said that Russian forces continued "to fight with civilian facilities”.

“We will persevere, and generations of Russians will pay a high price for their disgrace,” Mr Yermak said.

The strikes mark the second time this month that Moscow has unleashed a massive barrage against Ukrainian infrastructure.

On October 10, a similar attack rocked the country after an explosion on the Kerch bridge linking annexed Crimea to mainland Russia — an incident Moscow blamed on Kyiv.

The new strikes come two days after Russia accused Ukraine of carrying out a drone attack against Russia’s Black Sea Fleet off the coast of the Crimean peninsula.