an urgent question. l voice-over: due to a unique shareholder structure - which includes bp. this evening, bp yielded to heavy pressure from the uk government by announcing it would off load its 20% stake in russian oil and gas giant rosneft, saying it would take a multi billion pound loss as a result. bp said it is too early to say how or to whom the stake would be sold. as long as russia has customs buying its oil and gas, which these sanctions won t prevent, it will have financial fuel for its war machine. the ultimate sanction would be an international embargo on russian energy, which would damage both sides in this escalating economic war. simon jack, bbc news. we re already starting to see the impact on the currency. it s plunged nearly 20% to a new record low versus the us
moscow based expert. the rouble is facing| collapse of 30 40% when the market opens tomorrow. prices are going to be higher. there are question- marks overjob security. all of these things have - changed literally in the last couple of days, and how that translates to the social - and political stability- russia has always enjoyed, that s becoming quite an urgent question. l voice-over: due to a unique shareholder structure - which includes bp. this evening, bp yielded to heavy pressure from the uk government by announcing it would off load its 20% stake in russian oil and gas giant rosneft, saying it would take a multi billion pound loss as a result. bp said it is too early to say how or to whom the $14 billion stake would be sold. as long as russia has customs buying its oil and gas, which these sanctions won t prevent, it will have financial fuel for its war machine. the ultimate sanction would be an international embargo on russian energy,
media of solidarity in the ukrainian language. he also speaks a line in russian, he doesn t believe in war in your name, to the russian people. the ukrainian people are in the firing line, though. jain the ukrainian people are in the firing line, though. iain watson, thank yon the government has given further details about the package of sanctions it is imposing on russia. and bp is facing pressure to abandon its stake in the russian state owned oil and gas giant rosneft. our business editor simonjack looks now at the impact sanctions might have. yesterday, russian airline aeroflot was banned from british skies. today, ba was banned from russia a reminder that in economic warfare there is an exchange of fire. sanctions are the weapons the west has chosen and the uk has laid out its arsenal so far. the ten point plan also includes freezing russian banks uk assets, banning the russian state or companies from raising money on uk markets, sanctioning 100 companies
this evening, bp yielded two heavy pressure from the uk government by announcing it would off load its 20% stake in russian oil and gas giant rosneft saying it would take a multi billion pounds loss as a result. bp said it is too early to say how or to whom the stake would be sold. as long as russia has customers buying its oil and gas, which the sanctions won t prevent, it will have financial fuel for its war machine. the ultimate sanction will be an international embargo on russian energy which would damage both sides in this escalating economic war. it is estimated more than 7 million people could be displaced if they were as prolonged. already around 370,000 people have fled to neighbouring countries. the vast majority are women and children, as men aged between 18 and 60, are being asked to stay and fight. our special correspondent, fergal keane, has sent us this