Russia to be hit with barrage of sanctions: UK

London: Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK will hit Russia with a first barrage of economic sanctions, warning that President Vladimir Putin is fixed on a "full-scale invasion of Ukraine".

He was speaking soon after chairing an emergency meeting of the Cabinet Office Briefing Room A (COBRA) on Tuesday in the wake of Putin's decision to recognise two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine.

The UK PM accused Putin of "plainly" violating Ukrainian sovereignty and "the over-running, the subjugation of an independent, sovereign European country.

"He's sent troops in, he's broken international law, he's repudiated the Minsk agreements, and torn up the understanding from Budapest in 1994 that Ukraine's territorial integrity would be respected," said Johnson.

A Reuters witness saw tanks and other military hardware moving through the separatist-controlled city of Donetsk after Putin formally recognised the breakaway regions and ordered the deployment of Russian forces to "keep the peace".

The COBRA meeting was held as UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid said given that tanks have been seen near one of the rebel regions of Donetsk, it can be concluded that the invasion of Ukraine has begun.