BORIS Johnson warned President Putin today that invading Ukraine would be “painful, violent and bloody”.
The PM issued a dire warning as the UK and US began pulling embassy staff out of the region over fears war may be just days away.
The Prime Minister said the intelligence around the situation was “gloomy” but war was not inevitable.
Speaking to reporters in Milton Keynes as the Foreign Office pulled some embassy staff out of Kyiv, Mr Johnson said: “We do think it prudent to make some changes now.
“The intelligence is very clear that there are 60 Russian battle groups on the borders of Ukraine, the plan for a lightning war that could take out Kyiv is one that everybody can see.
“We need to make it very clear to the Kremlin, to Russia, that that would be a disastrous step.”
Vladimir Putin has around 100,000 troops and heavy armour stationed near the border after talks to avert a bloody conflict failed to reach a breakthrough.
And the Foreign Office said today it was pulling some diplomats out of Kiev in response to a growing threat from Russia.
A spokesperson said: “The British Embassy remains open and will continue to carry out essential work.”
HOAR understands around half of UK staff are expected to leave with their families – with the other half to remain on the ground.
The FCO is now advising against all but essential travel to the rest of Ukraine.
There will be no deadline to leave, and commercial flights are still operating.
It is thought to be a precaution rather than a response to any developments in the past 24 hours.
Germany, Australia, the US and other nations are also withdrawing their staff too.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is in Brussels today for talks with counterparts in the EU and Nato over the escalating conflict.
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