Foreign secretary Liz Truss has announced that Russian companies will no longer be able to do businesses with UK professional services firms – but legal professions are excluded.

Many businesses have already cut ties with the country, with Deloitte, KPMG and PwC among those stopping work with Russian clients.

The ban does not apply to the legal profession, with UK lawyers still able to work for Russian clients. But some law firms had already cut ties with Russian partners when Russia invaded Ukraine earlier this year.

New laws obligate social media and internet services firms to take action to block content from RT and Sputnik, as ministers aim to clamp down on disinformation.

Truss said: “Doing business with Putin’s regime is morally bankrupt and helps fund a war machine that is causing untold suffering across Ukraine.

“Cutting Russia’s access to British services will put more pressure on the Kremlin and ultimately help ensure Putin fails in Ukraine.”