New transactions linked to Russia have been frozen by Kent County Council in response to the country's invasion of Ukraine.

The authority has announced a range of steps it is has taken following Putin's "brutal assault on a European state" – which include ramping up cyber security and cutting ties to Russian gas corporation Gazprom.

The Ukrainian flag is also set to be raised over County Hall in Maidstone.

Leader of KCC Cllr Roger Gough said: “We have all been horrified by the invasion of Ukraine and the brutality and suffering that it has unleashed.

“As a sign of our support and commitment to the Ukrainian people our chairman Lesley Game, acting with cross-party support from all leaders, has asked that the Ukrainian flag is raised over County Hall.

“We have also taken a range of pragmatic and practical steps including urgently reviewing the county council’s commissioning activity, and our own supply chain and that of our companies, to ensure that there is no exposure to Russian interests that could in any way help finance President Putin’s regime and aggressive policies.

“In the very few cases where activity involving Russian interest, for example in the energy market, has been identified, all new transactions have been stopped."

"We stand in solidarity with all those in Ukraine who are defending their country and their freedoms..."

Cllr Gough said KCC's energy-buying organisation Laser, which acts on behalf of many public sector organisations, has also suspended Russian gas giant Gazprom from its existing gas supply framework and will not be including them in future contracting opportunities.

He added: “We are also aware of a very small number of legacy arrangements, having originally found them via the Laser framework, where customers are contracted directly with Gazprom.

"Laser will be giving the strongest possible advice to those customers to terminate their existing direct contracts."

Cllr Gough added: “In recognition of the fact the current crisis exacerbates a number of the risks that we face as an organisation, I am receiving direct regular updates regarding our cyber security.

"We have robust security systems in place to deal effectively with such threats and those systems remain under constant, close review."

He said he was "acutely aware" of the potential impact these steps could have upon the council's costs and supply chains.

“We will be reviewing this issue collectively, and publicly, in our cabinet meeting at County Hall tomorrow (Thursday)," he said.

“I have been liaising closely with the Kent Pension Fund Committee chairman who has advised that the Fund’s exposure to Russian assets is very limited at 0.3% of the total fund.

"KCC via its treasury management investments also has a very small Russian exposure of 0.03% of total investments. Officers are in active dialogue with fund managers regarding decreasing our Russian exposures wherever possible."

He finished by saying KCC, as a core member of the Kent Resilience Forum (KRF) which works to protect communities in Kent and Medway, "stands ready to help address any wider impacts of the current crisis".

"The KRF is liaising with central government and partners as the current situation evolves," he said. "I know all its representatives stand ready to support a multi-agency response across the county should it be needed.

“I, along with every single member at KCC, am proud to be an elected representative of one of this country’s democratic institutions.

"This brutal assault on a European state that has been building such democratic institutions over a generation threatens our common values, and we stand in solidarity with all those in Ukraine who are defending their country and their freedoms.”