Bringing you these pictures of the situation on the ground in Ukraine as captured by Associated Press photojournalists.

Boris Johnson is addressing the British people in a televised address and appears to have left open the possibility of Western military support for Ukraine that goes further than the weapons and training provided to date.

He says that a “massive package” of sanctions will come and that they will in time “hobble” the Russian economy.

“Our mission is clear. Diplomatically,politically,economically and eventually militarily this hideous and barbaric venture of Vladimir Putin must end in failure,” he said.

The UK has sent defensive weaponry to Ukraine and has pledged further military support and “non-lethal aid.”

He spoke with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky just after 4am local time,following Putin’s televised address ordering the invasion of Ukraine.

Johnson directly addressed the Russian people.

“I cannot believe that this is being done in your name or that you really want the pariah status it will bring to the Putin regime,” he said.

NATO Secretary-General,who is now speaking in Brussels,says the alliance has activated its defence plans,enabling it to deploy the NATO response force “to where they are needed.”

He says Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a “brutal act of war” and that it has “shattered the peace in Europe.” He said NATO’s intelligence had been “precise” and that as a result,the invasion came as no surprise.

“What we see now is a full-fledged invasion of Ukraine from many,multiple directions,we see air,land and naval forces taking part in those attacks,” he said,adding that it was too early for a full damage assessment.

“This is a deliberate,cold-blooded and long-planned invasion,” Stoltenberg said.

“Russia is using force to try to rewrite history and deny Ukraine its free and independent path.”

He warned there would be a “new normal” of Europe’s security as a result of Russia’s unprovoked and “heinous” war against Ukraine.

“It’s a war of a type and scale we actually thought was part of history in Europe but now it’s back.”

NATO has already built up its forces in Europe’s east and put more on standby,in light of Russia’s military build-up ahead of today’s invasion.

He says NATO leaders will meet virtually on Friday. Ukraine is not a member of NATO but has sought membership because the alliance offers the collective defence of any country that is attacked.

Stoltenberg said NATO would not send troops into Ukraine.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky says weapons are already being distributed to citizens willing to fight and has called for Ukrainians to give blood for injured fighters.

“The future of our Ukrainian people depends on every citizen,” he said during a briefing at the Office of the Head of State,according to a statement by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence.

“Everyone who has combat experience and can join the defence of Ukraine must come to the appropriate centres.

“The Ministry of Internal Affairs will involve veterans in the defence of the state.”

Hello,it’s Latika Bourke in London taking over our live coverage of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the reaction from world leaders.

I’m (virtually) attending a news conference with NATO’s Jens Stoltenberg and will bring you his remarks.

You can watch along in thelivestream.

NATO has agreed to beef up its land,sea,and air forces on its eastern flank near Ukraine and Russia following Russian President Vladimir Putin military offensive in Ukraine.

NATO ambassadors said in a statement after emergency talks on Thursday that “we have increased the readiness of our forces to respond to all contingencies.”

While some of NATO’s 30 member countries are supplying arms,ammunition,and other equipment to Ukraine,NATO as an organisation is not.

It will not launch any military action in support of Ukraine.

As we reported earlier today,countries closest to the conflict – Estonia,Latvia,Lithuania and Poland – are among those to have triggered rare consultations under Article 4 of NATO’s founding treaty,which can be launched when “the territorial integrity,political independence or security of any of the (NATO) parties is threatened.”

“We have decided,in line with our defensive planning to protect all allies,to take additional steps to further strengthen deterrence and defence across the alliance,” the envoys said in a statement.

“Our measures are and remain preventive,proportionate and non-escalatory.”

AP

After the early-morning sounds of explosions on the city’s outskirts,Kharkiv residents in Ukraine’s east,until now sceptical of Western claims that a Russian attack would come to their homes,turned to the tasks they had been putting off.

Lines at gas stations were more than 10 cars back. People walked through the city with suitcases and grocery bags,stocking up on essential goods. Though the local government urged people to stay home and closed schools and offices,many went straight for an ATM.

One young woman who was waiting in line for fuel said her apartment window was blown out by the blast.

“My boyfriend had called me right before that and said,‘You need to get up,the war has started,’ ” 18-year-old Kristina Nimenko said.

“Now we’ve come to get gas just to be ready for everything.

“We just want peace,” she added.

For Agniia and Emile Nkoyok and their 5-month-old daughter,the booming outside their window prompted them to head into town and look to take cover in the subway system. But they saw no one else hiding there,so they walked their bulldog and tried to gauge how others were reacting.

“I’m upset that the government is saying nothing,” Emile said. Agniia and her daughter,Emily Grace,planned to fly out on Friday morning,but are unsure of what they’ll do now that airspace is closed.

Nimenko said she plans to meet family Thursday to discuss plans,but,“in any case,we will stay in Ukraine.”

“We will stay at home because we are from Ukraine,” she said.

Washington Post