LONDON, March 30 — Britain is not aiming for regime change in Russia or to remove President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said today, saying its aim was to help to protect Ukrainians in the war.

"I understand the frustrations that people feel about Putin and to desire a change of government in itself is not an ignoble thing ... that’s the objective of a lot of democratic politics,” Johnson told lawmakers at a committee hearing.

"But let’s be absolutely clear, it’s not the objective of the UK government, and it’s very, very important that everybody gets this. We are simply setting out to help to protect the people of Ukraine, and to protect them against absolutely barbaric and unreasonable violence.” — Reuters