Boris Johnson is set to announce the ‘first barrage of economic sanctions’ on Russia today as he addresses MPs and the nation in commons.

The BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg reports the Prime Minister told the Cobra meeting that Russian president Vladimir Putin seems “bent on full scale invasion” of Ukraine.

It comes as Sajid Javid warned the “invasion of Ukraine has begun” on a “very dark day in Europe”.

Boris Johnson led a crisis meeting of ministers and senior officials to consider the response to Vladimir Putin’s actions.

The Government is preparing to slap sanctions on key Russian figures and businesses after President Putin recognised two breakaway regions of eastern Ukraine as independent states.

At the 0630 meeting of the Cobra committee the Prime Minister was briefed on the latest intelligence after Mr Putin ordered his troops to carry out “peacekeeping” duties in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: “We are waking up to a very dark day in Europe and it’s clear from what we have already seen and found out today that the Russians, President Putin, has decided to attack the sovereignty of Ukraine and its territorial integrity.”

The Health Secretary told Sky News: “We have seen that he has recognised these breakaway eastern regions in Ukraine and from the reports we can already tell that he has sent in tanks and troops.

“From that you can conclude that the invasion of Ukraine has begun.”