Emergency Cobra meeting called by Liz Truss as Ukraine braces for Russian invasion

An emergency Cobra meeting has been called today to discuss the growing threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The PM, who is in Cumbria, will not chair the meeting. Instead Liz Truss, the Foreign Secretary, will preside.

Boris Johnson has however cut his trip short, in order to chair another meeting tomorrow.

This comes as British nationals in Ukraine have been told to leave the country, with Putin's troops set to launch an invasion at any moment.

Vladimir Putin, who has demanded a number of concessions out of the West, including guarantees Ukraine won't join Nato, has 100,000 troops are currently stationed on the border between Russia and Ukraine.

Tobias Ellwood, Defence Select Committee chair, told GB News the situation in Ukraine “is our Cuban Missile crisis" and there would be “huge consequences” for failing to send a division of forces into Ukraine “months ago”, because Putin understands strength.

“There’s talk of Munich, look what happened there when we hesitated and we ceded control of parts of Europe”, Mr Ellwood said.

He criticised the West’s risk averse nature, telling viewers “normally when America steps back from the international stage, Britain steps up to the plate… that’s what I want to see now.”

Images have emerged of Ukrainian children learning how to handle weapons.

The chilling pictures reveal the bleak reality of the imminent conflict as well as the Ukrainian citizens' firm defiance of Vladimir Putin.

A group of youngsters took part in the open military training for civilians hosted by activists in Kyiv as the danger of invasion looms.

Many Ukrainians have pledged to take up arms to defend their country.