Britain to batter Russia with ‘unprecedented’ sanctions as Putin warned Ukraine invasion is ‘catastrophic mistake’

BRITAIN and the West will batter Russia with "unprecedented sanctions" that will bring the county to its knees in response to the invasion of Ukraine.

Foreign office minister James Cleverly said the PM and other world leaders will announce new measures to "punish this aggression" later today.

And he warned the Kremlin it has taken a "catastrophically bad decision" by launching the attack on Kyiv, which will fight back "ferociously".

No 10 is poised to unveil more economic and military assistance for Ukraine to help it defend itself against the Russian onslaught.

Mr Cleverly said fresh sanctions will target the cronies closest to Putin in the hope it will persuade them to make him ";see sense";.

The former Territorial Army major also called on Russian military leaders to disobey their attack orders.

He said: 'The fantasy Putin is trying to play out recreating some Tsarist, expansionist Russia has to be stopped

"Ukraine is a huge country physically. I have no doubt the Ukrainian people will be ferocious in defence of their homeland.

"The military leaders around Putin must know this is a catastrophically bad decision and will come at a huge cost.

"They are in a position to stop this and we call upon them to do so."

Mr Cleverly admitted the first round of sanctions announced just 48 hours ago had little effect, but insisted the new ones will bite harder.

He said: "We've already seen the Rouble collapse on the international markets, that will have a meaningful impact on Russia.

"Even if Putin doesn't care the people around him will feel this and they absolutely will care.

"They will over time put real pressure on the Russian economy and make it increasingly difficult for Putin to fund this military aggression."

On Tuesday the UK announced sanctions against five Russian banks and three oligarchs with close ties to the Kremlin.

That list is expected to be expanded and Moscow will be banned from raising cash to bankroll its war in the City of London.

Putin declared war on Ukraine at 3am this morning by unleashing his terrifying arsenal with a full scale assault on the country.

The tyrant declared a “special military operation” after months of massing his forces on the border and lying about his plans to invade.

The world is waking up to what could the most horrific crisis since World War 2 as Putin seeks to tear down the world order.

His seemingly full scale invasion of Ukraine is all part of his deluded plan to rebuild the Soviet Union and his paranoia over Nato.

ARTILLERY STRIKES

Ukrainians faced the sound of booming explosions and blaring air raid sirens as missiles, airstrikes and artillery shells fell on their homeland.

Putin took to Russian airwaves at 5.50am Moscow time to order an aerial blitz in the first stage of his attack.

Moments later powerful explosions were reported and armoured columns were spotted moving towards the border.

Russia had some 200,000 soldiers ready to move in - encircling the north, south and east of Ukraine.

Hundreds are already feared to have been killed in a conflict that had been warned to have a death toll in the hundreds of thousands and that could displace millions into Europe.

With the fog of war descending, getting information out of the war-torn nation remains difficult - but there were reports of at least five Russian jets being shot down.

Global leaders have condemned Putin and pledged to stand with Ukraine - with the world now just one false move from what could become World War 3.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Putin had "chosen a path of bloodshed and destruction", while US President Joe Biden described the assault as an "unprovoked and unjustified attack"

Russia also launched a prong of its attack from neighbouring Belarus - where Putin has been shameless wooing its leader Alexander Lukashenko, a man known as "Europe's last dictator".

“This is just the start - we have intelligence that a bigger second wave is coming," a Ukrainian military told The Sun.

“There will be bombs, ballistic missiles and multiple attacks - this is more than our worst fears.”