BORIS Johnson last night urged President Putin to step back from the brink of a “painful, violent and bloody” Ukraine invasion.

The Prime Minister warned of Russian plans for a “lightning war” that could take out the capital Kiev.

Nato ordered fighter jets and battleships to the conflict zone as President Joe Biden mulled plans to rush as many as 50,000 US troops into Eastern Europe to stop a bloodbath.

Ominous World War Three fears soared as the UK and US ordered diplomatic staff out of Kiev amid worries of a terrifying superpower escalation.

The PM last night held a frantic late night crisis call with the US, France, Germany, Poland and Nato chiefs to discuss the deteriorating situation — but stressed war was not inevitable yet.

Writing in today’s Sun, Defence Minister James Heappey warns there are already Russian-military linked figures in Ukraine.

But he says Britain is fully behind Ukraine in the same way that it backed Poland in World War Two, and saying the PM has sent them “more than just warm words”.

Boris ruled out sending British combat troops but will provide weapon support for Ukraine and back a crushing raft of Western economic sanctions against Russia.

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And Mr Heappey says: “To be British is to go to the aid of others and to defend those who cannot defend themselves. That’s why we went to the aid of Poland in 1939.

“Ukraine needs our help. Which is why the Prime Minister took the decision to send them more than just warm words.”

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Putin has 127,000 troops, tanks, artillery and missile batteries plus warjets and drones ringing the border with its pro-Western neighbour after peace talks failed.

He hopes a lightning victory will boost him back home after being dogged by a flagging economy and Covid woes.

Military sources say another 30 trainloads of troops have poured into Ukraine’s pro-Putin neighbour Belarus in recent days — and 200 more could follow.

The move — claimed to be for “military exercises” in Belarus — sparked alarm in Kiev, just 100 miles from the Belarusian border.

It came amid fears a conflict would push already record gas prices even higher if Russia cut off Europe’s access.

Government insiders believe Russia will weaponise gas and petrol if the West imposes sanctions.

The PM fired off his toughest salvo yet at ruthless strongman Putin, warning that any steps into Ukraine would be met with force and crippling economic sanctions.

The PM insisted “sense can still prevail” despite gloomy intelligence, but any war may be “the new Chechnya” as the Ukrainians will not give in without a fight.

He told reporters: “There are 60 Russian battle groups on the borders of Ukraine.

The plan for a lightning war that could take out Kiev is one that everybody can see.

“We need to make it very clear to the Kremlin, to Russia, that that would be a disastrous step. Invading Ukraine, from a Russian perspective, is going to be a painful, violent and bloody business.

“And I think that people in Russia need to understand that it could be their new Chechnya.”

'THE NEW CHECHNYA'

Russia attempted to seize Chechnya in 1994 with overwhelming firepower — but lost an estimated 14,000 troops in just 20 months in a brutal guerilla war.

Analysts say Putin is now almost certain to launch a limited strike in the next ten days — which could include an attack on the three-million-strong population of the Ukrainian capital.

The UK Foreign Office said it was pulling out around half of its staff and their families in Kiev “in response to growing threat from Russia” — but will remain open for essential business.

Washington ordered diplomats’ families to leave, warning a Russian invasion could come “at any time” — but stressed it was not an evacuation.

The US State Department also warned people not to travel to Ukraine or Russia.

Mr Biden was considering a dramatic tactical about-turn yesterday after a bungled speech last week in which he appeared to green light a limited Russian invasion.

Pentagon sources said he was considering flying up to 50,000 troops, bolstered by battleships and warplanes, to eastern Europe to counter any Russian offensive.

Nato said Denmark and Spain were also sending planes and ships to eastern Europe — and France is looking at sending over more troops in a new drive to face down bully Putin.

Russia hit back warning it would “respond appropriately” to any US moves and again denied it was planning to invade.

But latest satellite pictures showed thousands of troops and military vehicles lined up around the border as camps and field hospitals were stocked with supplies.

Putin’s commanders are now waiting for a biting winter cold snap to freeze the ground solid to enable tanks to launch an offensive — as temperatures across Ukraine plunged to -8C last night.

But Ukrainian volunteers training in snowy parks in Kiev yesterday pledged to fight to their “last breath and bullet” in a guerilla war — and send thousands of body bags to Russia.

Western tensions soared further yesterday as Russia ordered sea drills just outside Ireland territorial waters, around 150 miles off its western coast.

Foreign ministers gathered in Brussels and announced plans to wire Ukraine £1billion to fund its defensive efforts against Russia.

And Foreign Secretary Liz Truss also held crisis talks with Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg at the alliance’s HQ in the Belgian capital.

She warned Germany and other EU nations they need to wean themselves off Russian gas to really hit Moscow where it hurts.

Shares fall £55bn

THE FTSE 100 lost £55billion in value yesterday as gas prices climbed amid rising tension between Russian and Ukraine.

London’s index of leading stocks fell 2.6 per cent to 7,297.15 over fears a conflict would derail the recovery from the pandemic.

Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at finance firm CMC Markets, said: “The escalating drumbeat of conflict risk in Ukraine’s seen European equity markets fall sharply.”

Hargreaves Lansdown analyst Susannah Streeter said: “There are worries a conflict on the fringes of Europe could upset longer term recovery.”

UK wholesale gas prices rose more than 17 per cent yesterday, threatening further rises to energy bills.

Analysts at Goldman Sachs warned they could hit record levels if the conflict hits supplies to Europe.

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