Ukraine reinforces border as thousands flee invading Russians

Hello and welcome to the Telegraph’s live blog on the war in Ukraine as Kyiv battles a surprise Russian offensive in Kharkiv. Follow along as we bring you all of the latest updates throughout the day.

First up this morning:

Russia has invaded Ukraine again, Lord Cameron warns

Russia has invaded Ukraine again, Lord Cameron warned, as troops crossed over the border to open a new front near the second city of Kharkiv.

Russia’s defence ministry said its troops had taken five border villages in the region, in what is believed to be the first time its forces had launched a cross-border attack since the invasion in 2022.

Ukrainian officials insisted that fighting was ongoing in those villages and Russia’s forces were being “contained” there.

Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron told Sky News: “It’s extremely dangerous. It only underlines that this a unjustified, illegal invasion by Putin into an independent sovereign country and he has now, as it were, invaded it again from the north of Kharkiv.”

The local governor of the border region under attack on Sunday morning said that more than 4,000 people have fled over the weekend.

Ukrainian officials had warned for weeks that Moscow might try to attack its northeastern border regions, pressing its advantage as Ukraine struggles with delays in Western aid and manpower shortages.