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Evidence suggests Russia is planning "the biggest war in Europe since 1945", Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said.
He told the BBC's Sophie Raworth in an interview: "All the signs are that the plan has already in some senses begun."
Intelligence suggests Russia intends to launch an invasion that will encircle Ukrainian capital Kyiv, Mr Johnson said.
"People need to understand the sheer cost in human life that could entail," he said.
The prime minister was speaking from Munich, where world leaders are meeting for an annual security conference.
The latest estimates by the US government suggests that between 169,000 and 190,000 Russian troops are stationed along Ukraine's border, both in Russia and neighbouring Belarus - but this figure also includes rebels in eastern Ukraine.
Mr Johnson warned that any conflict could be "bloody and protracted", saying Russian President Vladimir Putin was possibly "thinking illogically about this" and did not "see the disaster ahead".
"I think it's vital for us all now to get over what a catastrophe it would be for Russia," he added.
He indicated that the UK and US would bring further sanctions against Russia than have been suggested before, including stopping its companies "trading in pounds and dollars" - a move that he said would "hit very, very hard".
Mr Johnson added: "The lesson of [the Russian seizure of Crimea from Ukraine in] 2014 is that you can't just let Vladimir Putin get away with it."
An invasion of Ukraine would strengthen, rather than weaken, Nato, he predicted, saying Western countries could not allow opposition forces to come to "the false conclusion that might is right".
"If [Mr Putin] thinks he's going to get less Nato as a result of this, he's totally wrong," Mr Johnson said. "He's going to get more Nato."
Ukraine is not a member of Nato or the European Union but has close relations with both.
Russia is insisting its neighbour should not be allowed to join Nato, which it sees as a threat to its security.
Western nations have accused Russia of trying to stage a fake crisis on Ukraine's border, warning in recent weeks Mr Putin's forces could be preparing to invade at any time.
But Russia has denied the claims, saying the massed troops are just conducting military exercises.
Asked whether a Russian invasion was still thought to be imminent, Mr Johnson said: "I'm afraid that that is what the evidence points to. There's no burnishing it."
The prime minister said US President Joe Biden had told Western leaders that intelligence suggested Russian forces were not just planning on entering Ukraine from the east, via Donbas, but down from Belarus and the area surrounding Kyiv.
"I'm afraid to say that the plan we are seeing is for something that could be really the biggest war in Europe since 1945, just in terms of sheer scale," he said.
People needed to not only consider the potential loss of life of Ukrainians, but also of "young Russians", he added.
Mr Johnson was speaking after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and telling world leaders in a speech that any invasion of Ukraine by Russia would "echo around the world".
Labour said it stood "four-square behind the UK government and Nato, with shadow health secretary Wes Streeting telling Sky News: "There should be no doubt on the resolve of the UK, on a cross-party basis, and the resolve of Nato across the alliance."
But he also urged the government to do more to prevent the City of London being a "centre" for "Russian kleptocrats and money laundering".
I believe if we still had petrotrin those oil prices would have been beneficial to us but we lost a key part, our refinery so I highly doubtKenjo wrote:How much weeks now we hearing ‘next week ‘ Putin toying with them . Oil prices beneficial to us if it goes up not so still ? We can push our own food growth since Russia has so much farming and it will restrict foods to the world
hover11 wrote:I believe if we still had petrotrin those oil prices would have been beneficial to us but we lost a key part, our refinery so I highly doubtKenjo wrote:How much weeks now we hearing ‘next week ‘ Putin toying with them . Oil prices beneficial to us if it goes up not so still ? We can push our own food growth since Russia has so much farming and it will restrict foods to the world
Max,MaxPower wrote:No war is going to happen.
The same people that have the potential to start the war are already living comfortable off of corruption that is growing day by day….no need to start a war.
Either way the people still suffer.
bluefete wrote:Didn't Imbert say that we are a gas economy?
Oil was trading at US$91.00 per barrel on Friday compared to our budget of US$65.00.
The Imps must be smiling a bit but not much as we are no longer a major producer of oil.
Gas prices have also increased soo the incremental revenue might come from there plus the higher prices we have been getting for ammonia, but which the Imps do not want you to know.
MaxPower wrote:No war is going to happen.
The same people that have the potential to start the war are already living comfortable off of corruption that is growing day by day….no need to start a war.
Either way the people still suffer.
Dizzy28 wrote:Interesting to see how China recognizes those new "Republics".
With the existence of Tibet, Xinjiang and Taiwan they shouldn't be recognizing any breakaways but then again they don't really care at this point.
Ben_spanna wrote:Putin wont start a war, hes merely showing how he chooses to display his powers of influence over nearby countries, its all the New agencies that are driving the extremism ... im sure that its America that will start a war if anything, however they know fully well that this wont be their typical war where they invade and destroy on foreign land .. There will be direct attacks on American soil and millions of their people will die... so lets who has the biggest "small piggy inferiority complex"
China would not allow itCantmis wrote:Trinidad should be assimilated by Russia
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