UK to convene Cobra meeting on Ukraine

The UK will "respond decisively" to Russia's "unprovoked attack" on Ukraine, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said, Report informs via BBC.

The PM said he was "appalled" after President Putin launched a "special military operation" in the eastern Donbas region.

Vladimir Putin said he did not plan to occupy Ukraine, but Ukraine has branded it a "full-scale invasion".

Boris Johnson will chair a Cobra meeting at 07:30 GMT to discuss the "horrific attacks".

In a phone call with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the early hours of Thursday morning, Boris Johnson said the people of Ukraine were in the UK's thoughts "during this time", a No 10 spokesperson said.

The UK prime minister told Volodymyr Zelensky the West "would not stand by as President Putin waged his campaign against the Ukrainian people".

In a tweet, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the UK stood with Ukraine and would work with international partners to respond to Russia's "terrible act of aggression".