Boris Johnson attended fundraiser with Russian donor on eve of invasion
Boris Johnson has been branded a ‘threat to national security’ following reports he was with a Russian donor on the night Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine.
The Prime Minister had given a short speech at a fundraising event on February 23, as troops prepared to launch their brutal assault
Lubov Chernukhin, a banker and the wife of a former Russian deputy finance minister, was also at the event at Spencer House in central London, according to the Sunday Times.
She hit the headlines earlier this year when she was pictured having a ‘ladies night’ with former PM Theresa May after donating £135,000 to the Conservative Party.
Labour have slammed Mr Johnson’s attendance and said he was ‘courting’ Russians for money.
Attendees of the event, around a mile away from Downing Street, reportedly enjoyed expensive wine, food and an auction.
Johnson was present for around 20 minutes and was joined by Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and communities secretary Michael Gove.
Back in Downing Street, at around 4am on February 24, Mr Johnson was woken with the news that Russia had launched the invasion that the West had feared for weeks.
A No 10 spokesman said: ‘The Prime Minister briefly attended this event which was a longstanding diary engagement.
‘Fundraising is a legitimate part of our democratic process and it is not unusual for the Prime Minister, or any political leader, to attend such an event.’
Labour Party chairwoman Anneliese Dodds said: ‘On the eve of war the Prime Minister should have been completely focused on national security – not trying to get cash from the wife of Putin’s former finance minister.
‘Boris Johnson’s party has accepted over £6.5million from donors linked to Putin’s murderous regime.
‘He should be cleaning up our politics, not courting these people for more money. Boris Johnson is a threat to national security.’
It comes after reports in the Mirror that the Conservatives pocketed almost £80,000 in donations from Chernukhin. She made two donations – £13,750 in October and £66,500 in December last year.
Tory bosses have faced repeated calls for transparency over the way they treat big-money donors to the party.
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