Image source, PA Media

Starmer welcomes the sanctions announced by the government but he says it must also do more.

The UK must stand ready with more military support for Ukraine to defend itself and the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline should be cancelled, he says.

The Labour leader says the UK must also "get its own house in order", saying it has failed to stop the flow of Russian finance into the country.

"This must be a turning point," he says, adding that "oligarch impunity" must end and anti-money laundering laws must be enforced.

However, "even at this late hour", we must pursue diplomatic efforts to avoid conflict, he says.

Government believes could be a lot worse to comepublished at 12:53 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2022

12:53 GMT 22 February 2022

Nick Eardley
Political correspondent

Boris Johnson has just announced the first sanctions related to the situation in Ukraine.

They are targeting key Russian banks and allies of President Putin.

The view in No 10 is that sanctions should be used wisely and at the right time.

That means what we’ve seen today is the first of the measures being prepared in Whitehall. There could be a lot more to come.

The overall UK assessment of the current situation in Ukraine is a bleak one.

The government believes an invasion has started – and there could be a lot worse to come.

It is clear from the assessment in London that there is a feeling this could be a long conflict, which could get worse over time.

Image source, HoC

Leader of the opposition, Keir Starmer says yesterday was "a dark day" for Europe.

He says the UK "must stand firm" in its support for Ukraine and there is "no justification for this Russian aggression.

“We must remain united and true to our values” with our Nato allies, he adds.

"We must show Putin that we will not be divided."

MPs voice their agreement when the PM says "the resolve of the UK to defend our Nato allies is absolute and immovable".

He says: "We cannot tell what will happen in the days ahead but we should steel ourselves for a protracted crisis the UK will meet this challenge side by side with our allies."

He says it is precisely because the stakes are so high that Putin's venture in Ukraine must fail and must be seen to fail.

He says this will take the perseverance, unity and resolve of the entire Western alliance.

"Our thoughts should turn to our gallant Ukrainian friends who threaten no one, who ask for nothing except to live in peace and freedom," he says.

Johnson ends his statement by saying: "Whatever happens Britain will not waiver in our resolve."

Image source, HoC

Johnson says the UK will continue to seek a diplomatic solution until the last possible moment but it has to face the possibility that President Putin is prepared to go further.

The prime minister says he has given Ukraine's President Zelensky assurances of Britain's "unwavering support".

The UK and its allies will now begin to impose sanction on Russia, using new powers that have already been introduced in law.

Boris Johnson has announced sanctions against five Russian banks: Rossiya, IS Bank, General Bank, Promsvyazbank and the Black Sea Bank.

The Prime Minister has also sanctioned three "high net worth" individuals: Gennadiy Timchenko, Boris Rotenberg and Igor Rotenberg.

"Any assets they hold in the UK will be frozen, the individuals concerned will be banned from travelling here and we will prohibit all UK individuals and entities from having any dealings with them," Johnson said.

"This the first tranche, the first barrage of what we are prepared to do and we hold further sanctions at readiness to be deployed."

Image source, HoC

Boris Johnson tells MPs: "If the worst happens then a European nation of 44 million men, women and children would become the target of a full-scale war of aggression waged without a shred of justification."

He says unless the situation changes the best efforts of the US, UK, France, Germany and other allies to avoid conflict through patient diplomacy may be in vain.

"We have all tried to find a peaceful way through this crisis," he says.

Image source, HoC

Johnson says MPs will struggle to contemplate how in the year 2022 a national leader might calmly and deliberately plot the destruction of a peaceful neighbour.

"Yet the evidence in his own words suggests that is exactly what President Putin is doing," he says.

The UK must brace itself for the next possible stages of Putin's plan, he says.

Image source, HoC

Boris Johnson tells MPs that deploying Russian forces into "sovereign Ukrainian territory" amounts to "a renewed invasion of that country".

By denying Ukraine's legitimacy as a state "Putin is establishing the pretext for a full-scale offensive", he says.

"We must now brace ourselves for the next stages of Putin's plan," Johnson adds.

He tells MPs to expect a general offensive of nearly 200,000 troops.

Image source, HoC

Prime Minister Boris Johnson begins his statement by saying President Putin has "flagrantly violated" the Minsk agreements by recognising two rebel-held regions in eastern Ukraine.

He says the president's "inflammatory speech" denied that Ukraine had any tradition of genuine statehood and "hurled numerous other false accusations".

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is on his feet in the Commons to give a statement on Ukraine to MPs.

We'll bring you all the latest updates and analysis here.

The UK prime minister's spokesman has said there is no doubt an invasion of Ukraine is taking place.

In reference to Russian actions overnight, Boris Johnson's spokesman said: "We believe that amounts to a renewed invasion of the country".

But the spokesman said a "full scale invasion" was not taking place yet - and said the UK would continue to see if there are ways to get President Putin to pull back.

Mr Johnson will set out "significant sanctions" this afternoon - and the spokesman said to expect a "united approach to sanctions" from allies.

The spokesman welcomed German comments about halting the Nord Stream 2 pipeline: "Being dependent on Russian hydrocarbons in this way is not beneficial to Europe".

The UK has summoned the Russian ambassador for talks after the Kremlin ordered troops into two Moscow-backed rebel regions of Ukraine.

"This morning the foreign office has summoned the Russian ambassador," Boris Johnson's official spokesman told reporters.

This comes after the prime minister said London would "hit Russia very hard" with targeted sanctions.

The prime minister is due to set these out for MPs shortly.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is about to set out what he says is the "first barrage" of economic sanctions against Russia, after it sent troops into eastern Ukraine.

He's due to make a statement to MPs in the House of Commons at 12.30pm.

Stay with us for full coverage of his announcement.

We've got more now on Germany's decision to halt the process of certifying the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

Confirming the move, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said: "That sounds technical, but it is the necessary administrative step so there can be no certification of the pipeline and without this certification, Nord Stream 2 cannot begin operating."

Vice-Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeck later told reporters Germany's gas supply was secure even without Nord Stream 2, which would have doubled the amount flowing into the country from Russia.

However, he predicted gas prices would increase further in the short-term.

The European Commission also said Europe's energy supply would not be affected by the move because the pipeline was not yet operating, although it is completed.

Ukraine has welcomed the move.

"This is a morally, politically and practically correct step in the current circumstances. True leadership means tough decisions in difficult times. Germany's move proves just that," Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted.

Image source, Gavin Guest

As tensions escalate, many expats in Ukraine are facing difficult decisions over whether to try to leave the country.

Gavin Guests, a British national who works as a special needs coordinator and teacher in Ukraine, has recently relocated to the western city of Lviv from Kyiv.

He wants to leave the country with his rescue dog, but says the UK, unlike the US government, has not issued pet waivers which is making it difficult for him to travel.

Gavin feels he is left facing the choice of leaving his pet behind or "staying and living in fear".

"I think finally the local people are starting to realise what is going on," he says. "We’re kind of in this state of flux."

Image source, Reuters

More now on the UK prime minister’s plan to impose sanctions against Russia, after it sent troops into eastern Ukraine.

Boris Johnson says he'll unveil a "first barrage" of economic sanctions against Russia in the Commons soon.

He says they "will hit Russia very hard" and target the "economic interests that have been supporting Russia's war machine".

The PM adds there is "a lot more we are going to do" if a full-scale invasion of the country takes place.

What sanctions could be enforced?

• UK ministers say sanctions could target companies and individuals linked to the Russian government
• Boris Johnson also says the UK could limit Russian firms' ability to raise capital on London's markets
• He has suggested Western allies are looking at stopping Russian companies trading in pounds and dollars
• Other measures Western nations could impose include restricting exports to Russia, or excluding it from the Swift financial messaging service.

Johnson says he’ll announce the sanctions package to MPs at around 12.30pm.

We’ll bring you full coverage of what he says.

Ukraine shares its eastern border with Russia. On the Ukrainian side of the border lie the self-declared people's republics of Donetsk and Luhansk - which Russia has just recognised as independent.

Both areas have been controlled by Russia-backed rebels fighting Ukrainian forces since 2014, after Russia annexed Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula in the same year. There is evidence that Russian forces have operated there ever since, though Russia has always denied this.

The rebels and Ukrainian military have been locked for years in a bitter stalemate, along a frontline called the "line of control."

A big question in the coming days, is going to be whether Russia also recognises as independent some of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions that are still under Ukrainian government control. That could lead to a major escalation in conflict.

Image source, Reuters

UEFA are almost certain to switch this season's Champions League final away from St Petersburg as a result of overnight developments involving Russia and Ukraine.

With sanctions against Russia seemingly inevitable from the European Union and UK Government, UEFA are viewed as being highly unlikely to attempt to host a showpiece game in Russia.

European football's governing body is understood to be assessing the situation before making a decision on the matter, but it is set to be looking for a new venue at short notice for the third year running.

The last two Champions League finals were played in Portugal due to Covid-related issues.

BBC Sport understands the game will still be played on 28 May.

Read more here.

There's been a lot happening in the Ukraine crisis this morning so let's take stock:

• Russia has ordered its troops into two Moscow-backed separatist-controlled regions in Ukraine - Luhansk and Donetsk - after declaring them independent states
• The UK PM says this shows Russian President Vladimir Putin is bent on a "full-scale invasion of Ukraine"
• Boris Johnson is expected to outline the action the UK will take to parliament at 12:30 GMT
• The US and EU will formalise their own sanctions on Russia this afternoon. Germany has said the Nordstream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, which has yet to open, has been put on hold
• This all comes after Putin gave a televised speech last night claiming Ukraine has no history of being a true nation
• Ukraine's President Zelensky, in his own late-night speech, said Ukraine was not afraid and will not yield anything to anyone
• Invasion fears are having impact on the economy with with Russian stocks falling by 8% and oil and gas prices climbing.