Boris Johnson has accused Vladimir Putin of committing "a war crime" as he spoke during a session of PMQs preceded by a standing ovation for Ukraine's ambassador.
As the Russian president's attempt to invade Ukraine entered a seventh day, the prime minister condemned Mr Putin's "abhorrent" attack on his country's neighbour.
"What we have seen already from Vladimir Putin's regime - in the use of munitions they have already been dropping on innocent civilians - in my view already fully qualifies as a war crime," Mr Johnson told the House of Commons.
"I know the ICC [International Criminal Court] prosecutor is already investigating and I'm sure the whole House will support that."
The Foreign Office later confirmed the UK plus 37 ally nations have referred Russia to the ICC to investigate "war crimes in Ukraine". It is the largest referral in the ICC's history.
As the nations have grouped together, the ICC prosecutor will not need to get judicial approval to begin so they can start the investigation straight away.
Mr Johnson called Russia's invasion "barbaric" and said all 38 countries are "crystal clear that Putin cannot commit these horrific acts with impunity".
Kherson 'completely surrounded by Russians' - follow latest updates
PM condemns Putin's 'abhorrent assault'
In an intelligence update on Wednesday morning, the Ministry of Defence said heavy Russian artillery and airstrikes had continued to target built-up areas in the past 24 hours.
More than 2,000 civilians have so far died in a week of war with Russia, according to Ukraine's state emergency service - although Sky News has not yet verified this information independently.
There are other unconfirmed claims of Russia using thermobaric weapons and widely-banned cluster munitions.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace earlier told Sky News that Mr Putin's actions would get "harder, tougher and more indiscriminate" as his invasion attempt lags "considerably" behind schedule.
Mr Johnson, who spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday morning, told MPs that the Russian president had "gravely miscalculated" in the "abhorrent assault on a sovereign nation".
"He has underestimated the extraordinary fortitude of the Ukrainian people and the unity and resolve of the free world in standing up to his barbarism," the PM told the Commons.
Downing Street later said possible war crimes were occurring "almost hourly" in Ukraine.
"Formally it will be for a criminal court to make that ruling but I think no one can be in any doubt that what we're seeing daily, almost hourly now, are horrific acts that would certainly appear to be war crimes," the PM's official spokesman said when asked about Mr Johnson's comments at PMQs.
MPs stand to applaud Ukraine's ambassador
At the beginning of Wednesday's PMQs, the entire Commons chamber stood to applaud Vadym Prystaiko, Ukraine's ambassador to the UK, as he sat in the gallery to observe proceedings.
Addressing Mr Prystaiko after MPs had ended their applause, Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle noted - to some laughter - that MPs "generally do not allow applause in the chamber".
"But I think on this occasion the House quite rightly want to demonstrate our respect and support for your country and its people at this most difficult time," Sir Lindsay added.
Starmer calls for 'every oligarch' to be sanctioned
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer used PMQs to urge Mr Johnson to bring forward sanctions against "every oligarch" and "crack open every shell company" in order to put further pressure on Mr Putin's regime.
Sir Keir asked why Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich, who he described as a "person of interest to the Home Office because of his links to the Russian state", had not yet been sanctioned.
He also asked why action had not been taken by the government against Igor Shuvalov, Mr Putin's former deputy prime minister, who he accused of being among those Kremlin "cronies" who "dip their hand in the blood of Putin's war".
The Labour leader told MPs that Mr Shuvalov owns two flats "not five minutes' walk" from parliament that are worth over £11m.
PM vows UK will 'continue to tighten noose'
Mr Johnson would not comment on individual cases but said the UK would "continue to tighten the noose around Putin's regime" with sanctions and promised a "full list of all those associated" with the Russian president would be published.
He highlighted "unprecedented measures" brought forward by the government in response to Russia's aggression against Ukraine.
"I know that the whole House will agree with me that nothing we do in rooting out corruption and corrupt money in London, or any other capital, should for one minute... distract for where the true blame for this crisis lies, which is wholly and exclusively and entirely with Vladimir Putin and his regime," the PM said.
"I'm glad that the benches opposite are as resolved as we are that Putin must fail in his venture and that we must ensure that we protect a sovereign, free and independent Ukraine, and that's what we're going to do.
"With the unity of this House, with the continued heroism and resolve of the Ukrainian people, which is so amazing that we've seen over the last few days.
"And with the unity of the West that we're seeing, which I think has also taken aback President Putin, I've no doubt at all that he will fail and we will succeed in protecting Ukraine."
Number 10 said a "significant proportion" of people who are set to appear on the government's list of people in Britain deemed to have links with Mr Putin's regime will be sanctioned.
Read more: Abramovich slaps £3bn price tag on Chelsea as Russian sets bid deadline
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2022-03-02 17:43:52Z
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