BORIS Johnson will address the nation this morning as tyrant Vladimir Putin rains down bombs and missiles on Ukraine after ordering a bloody invasion.

The PM called the unprovoked attack "catastrophe for our continent" and will impose fresh sanctions to punish Russia for going down the "path of bloodshed and destruction".

Air strikes began falling on Ukraine at dawn shortly after Putin all-but declared war on the country in a chilling televised address.

Mr Johnson was woken at 4am for an urgent call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy before chairing a Cobra meeting in Whitehall.

In a statement of intent he said: "President Putin has chosen a path of bloodshed and destruction by launching this unprovoked attack on Ukraine.

"The UK and our allies will respond decisively."

In major developments:

• Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine under the guise of a "special military operation"
• Missiles, airstrikes and bombs began raining down on Ukrainian cities in the early hours
• The Kremlin tyrant told Ukrainian soldiers to lay down their weapons and return to their families
• He warned that any other nations that interfere will face "defeat and dire consequences"
• In a sobering national address Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed his citizens will fight for their homeland
• Boris Johnson summoned an emergency Cobra meeting ahead of announcing a fresh sanctions package

In a televised address Mr Johnson will this morning condemn Putin's grave error of abandoning diplomacy in favour of a bitter conflict.

He called the invasion "catastrophe for our continent" and demanded an urgent meeting of Nato along with a G7 leaders call.

He will come to Parliament this afternoon where he is expected to hit Moscow with fresh sanctions designed to strangle the Russian economy.

Foreign Office Minister James Cleverly this morning promised Britain would respond with "unprecedented sanctions to punish this aggression".

On Monday Britain imposed sanctions on three of Putin's cronies and five banks linked to the Kremlin. 

Russian MPs who voted for Putin's brazen power-grab in the breakaway Donbass and Luhansk regions were also targeted. 

RUSSIA STARTS WAR

Russia has unleashed a salvo of missiles on Ukraine as 200,000 of Putin's forces launched a long-feared invasion of the country.

Kyiv was rocked by a number of explosions, with dramatic footage showing fire rising from buildings as loud blasts echoed.

Hundreds of casualties have been reported by Ukraine's Interior Ministry as the country was placed under martial law.

Ministry advisor Anton Herashchenko said Russian troops had landed in Odessa and separately were moving into Kharkiv.

🔵 Read our Russia – Ukraine live blog for the very latest updates

Unconfirmed reports and pictures of wreckage suggested a Russian drone had been shot down near Kyiv.

Lights in the capital went out at 6.30am – and seven minutes later, an enormous blast was heard nearby.

At 7.05am sirens began blaring across the capital for the first time as frightened locals braced themselves for a bomb blitz.

Access to the Black Sea and Azov Sea was cut off as an amphibious landing from a tanker and helicopter aircraft was reported near the southern port of Odessa.

A meeting of G7 leaders will also take place today, President Joe Biden has confirmed.

"President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering," Mr Biden said.

"Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring, and the United States and its Allies and partners will respond in a united and decisive way.

'NO ONE SHOULD FORGET THIS DAY'

"The world will hold Russia accountable."

Putin sent tanks and 10,000 troops into two breakaway pro-Russian provinces of Ukraine – Donetsk and Luhansk – earlier this week.

It came after he granted recognition to the two areas in a controversial move he insisted was to protect them from "Ukrainian aggression".

He also made a rambling speech on Russian TV blaming NATO for the current crisis and claimed Kyiv was creating "weapons of mass destruction".

Last night, he warned that any foreign powers who intervene will face "untold consequences".

PUTIN'S WARNING

“To anyone who would consider interfering from outside: if you do, you will face consequences greater than any you have faced in history," he said.

"All the relevant decisions have been taken.

"I hope you hear me.”

Ukraine has urged its people to take up arms, with one of its MPs warning Russian soldiers they will "die like dogs" if they invade.

Ukraine has now declared a 30-day state of emergency, with fears the country's second city Kharkiv is next in Putin's sights.

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The country's National Security and Defence Secretary Oleksiy Danilov said the measure would enable martial law and night-time curfews.

Other restrictions could include checkpoints, road closures, airport shutdowns and confiscation of property if the security situation worsens.

One of Ukraine's MPs also issued a chilling warning to Russian troops, saying: "Welcome to hell… you will die here."

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