The UK has pulled some British embassy staff and their dependents from Kyiv as the threat of invasion from Russia grows.

The Foreign Office has confirmed the move after the US ordered families of all American personnel at the US embassy to leave the country due to the risk of an invasion.

Russian forces have massed at the border with Ukraine and intense diplomatic activity has failed to ease tensions.

The Foreign Office said: “Some embassy staff and dependants are being withdrawn from Kyiv in response to the growing threat from Russia.

“The British Embassy remains open and will continue to carry out essential work.”

The UK believes there is a significant risk that Russian president Vladimir Putin will launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Dominic Raab said on Sunday that ‘very significant’ risk of Russia invading Ukraine.

He told BBC’s Sunday Morning programme: “I think there is a very significant risk of it.

“The world needs to keep its eye on this and be very clear with President Putin that it would not do this cost-free, that there would be a price.

“A price in terms of the strenuous defence that we would expect the Ukrainians to put up, but also the economic cost through sanctions, which are of course more effective if the international community speaks as one or at least with a broad consensus.”

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has accused the president of plotting to install a pro-Moscow leader as head of the Ukrainian government.

The Foreign Office took the unusual step of naming former Ukrainian MP Yevhen Murayev as a potential Kremlin candidate to take over in Kyiv – a claim dismissed as provocative “nonsense” by Moscow.

There are concerns that the crisis could trigger a spike in European energy prices, with The Times reporting that officials fear Russia could restrict supplies of gas in response to sanctions.