Sajid Javid Says Russian ‘Invasion Of Ukraine Has Begun’ Ahead Of Emergency COBRA Meeting

Sajid Javid has announced that Russia has invaded Ukraine after troops were sent across the border by President Vladimir Putin.

Tensions have been boiling for weeks as a result of multiple satellite images showing Russia moving in, with US intelligence suggesting that as many as 150,000 Russian troops are massed at various points along the Ukraine border.

Despite US President Joe Biden's plans to meet with Putin in a 'last-ditch effort' to avoid war in Ukraine, UK Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Sajid Javid has since declared that the 'invasion of Ukraine has begun' and that the west is waking up today, Tuesday, February 22, 'to a very dark day'.

On February 15, Prime Minister Boris Johnson held an emergency COBRA meeting after he and Biden conducted a phone call about the threat.

While the pair agreed that there was a 'crucial window for diplomacy and for Russia to step back from its threats towards Ukraine', it appears that such a window has been missed.

Another emergency COBRA meeting is being held today, Tuesday, February 22, to discuss the latest developments and 'invasion'. It began at 6.30am.

Javid told Sky News,'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.

'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.'

Donetsk and Luhansk, two pro-Russian separatist regions in Ukraine, were recently recognised by Putin as independent entities, which led to Johnson accusing the president of 'plainly' breaking international law on Monday, February 21, The Independent reports.

Putin's move is reported as not going 'unpunished' according to Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.

Truss has since promised to set out measures 'in response to [Russia's] breach of international law'.

Russia's actions have been noted as having 'severe and far-reaching consequences', according to the UK's ambassador of the UN Security Council Dame Barbara Woodward.

She stated, 'The humanitarian impact will be terrible on civilians fleeing the fighting. We know that women and children will suffer most.'

Dame Woodward hopes that the UN will stand strong in 'condemning aggression against a sovereign nation and defending the territorial integrity of Ukraine', but also in demanding that Russia 'de-escalate immediately'.

'Russia has brought us to the brink. We urge Russia to step back,' she concluded.

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Topics: Russia, UK News, US News, Boris Johnson, Vladimir Putin, Joe Biden

Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck is a Senior Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from The University of Manchester in 2021 with a First in English Literature and Drama, where alongside her studies she was Editor-in-Chief of The Tab Manchester. Poppy is most comfortable when chatting about all things mental health, is proving a drama degree is far from useless by watching and reviewing as many TV shows and films as possible and is such a crisp fanatic the office has been forced to release them in batches.