By Boris Johnson to address the nation over Russia and Ukraine crisis
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to address the nation later on this morning as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has escalated dramatically.
Although war has yet to be officially declared, President Putin ordered Russian troops to begin ‘military action’ against Ukraine yesterday evening.
Mr Putin has insisted he does not plan to occupy Ukraine, but Ukraine has branded it a “full-scale invasion”.
On Tueday morning reports of explosions across Ukraine came pouring in, with Ukraine citizens now being urged to ‘flee’ Russia altogether.
Mr Johnson will give a televised statement this morning before revealing new sanctions against Russia to MPs at 5 pm this evening.
He held an emergency cobra meeting this morning to discuss Britain’s response to the escalating situation.
Mr Johnson wrote on Twitter: “President Putin has chosen a path of bloodshed and destruction by launching this unprovoked attack on Ukraine.”
General Sir Richard Shirreff has warned that Britain could soon be at war with Russia, telling BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, that any incursion into Nato territory would bring Britain into direct involvement in the conflict.
“There is no surprise and there is profound sadness and a sense of appalling horror at what is about to unfold for the people of Ukraine,” he said.
“And I think we have to assume that this is not Russia biting off a chunk of Ukraine – for example, establishing a land corridor in Crimea – but a full-blown military offensive to occupy Ukraine.”
Asked whether Britain will be drawn into the confrontation, he said: “Absolutely there is a possibility that we as a nation could be at war with Russia, because if Russia puts one bootstep across Nato territory, we are all at war with Russia. Every single one, every single member of the Nato alliance.
“Article 5 (of the Nato alliance) says an attack on one is an attack on all, so we need to change our mindset fundamentally, and that is why I say our defence starts in the UK on the frontiers of Nato.”
