NICOLA Stuirgeon has led Holyrood’s condemnation of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine – warning the conflict is “perhaps the most dangerous and potentially defining moment since the Second World War”.

The First Minister and all party leaders offered support for the people of Ukraine in statements before today’s First Minister’s Questions.

Ms Sturgeon told MSPs she wanted to “condemn in the strongest possible terms the unprovoked imperialist aggression of Vladimir Putin”.

She added: “There is no doubt that he must now face the severest of consequences.

Ms Sturgeon pointed to “sanctions on his banks and their ability to borrow and function, sanctions on his energy and mineral companies”.

The FM stressed that “in the UK, an immediate clean up of the swirl of dirty Russian money in the city of London” must now take place.

She added that the people of Ukraine “must feel and not just hear our support and solidarity”.

She said: “The world must now help and equip Ukraine to defend itself and resist Russian aggression.”

Ms Surgeon added that we “all stand ready to offer refuge and sanctuary where necessary for those who may be displaced” in the conflict.

She said: “This is a critical juncture in history – perhaps the most dangerous and potentially defining moment since the Second World War.”

The FM said the situation would “determine the new norms of what is acceptable or not in our international order”.

Ms Sturgeon said that “Putin is an autocrat” but that “underneath the veneer of power lies insecurity and fear – fear of democracy, of freedom, fear of the kind of popular uprisings witnessed over recent years in Ukraine ever happening in Russia”.

She added: ""Future generations will judge the actions the world takes now. We must all ensure that freedom and democracy prevail."

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross warned that “the costs will be high”, adding that “in the first few hours, lives have already been lost”.

He added: “I always thought and hoped that war on this scale in Europe was something I would only know of through history lessons at school.”

Mr Ross said he supported the sanctions brought forward by the UK Government and other western nations.

He added: “We can only hope and pray that they will succeed and we stand with the people of Ukraine.”

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, labelled the invasion “a dark day", adding that "my party and I stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine”.

He insisted the invasion was “unprovoked and unjustifiable”.

He said: “We will not bend to Vladimir Putin’s imperial ambitions.

“Our first actions now must be to support the Ukrainian people.”

Mr Sarwar added: “The hardest possible sanctions must be taken against all those linked to Putin.

“The message from this parliament must be loud and clear – we stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine. Peace will prevail. Vladimir Putin will pay a heavy price.”

Scottish Greens’ co-leader Patrick Harvie said the invasion was “a flagrant and grievous breach of international law – one that must be responded to in the most comprehensive terms”.

Mr Harvie said that “no form of sanction should be off the table”.

He added: “Here in the UK, it’s essential that we tackle the money-laundering networks used extensively by Russian elites.”

The Greens MSP warned that it is likely there will be a “significant flow of refugees from Ukraine”.

He said: “I trust that Scotland stands ready to play our part I support them in any way we can.”

Scottish LibDem leader, Alex Cole-Hamilton accused Putin of having “threatened the very fabric of peace and security in our world” and raised the possibility of a “catastrophic and needless loss of human life”.

He added: “We must be prepared to offer all those fleeing that conflict safe harbour in the villages and towns of Scotland.”