Ukraine war: Russian Ambassador Andrei Kelin issues warning of escalation in Ukraine

Russia has warned Western supplies of weapons to Ukraine hazard escalating the warfare to levels not seen truthful far.

Andrei Kelin, Russia's ambassador to the UK, told the BBC his state had "enormous resources" and it was yet to "act precise seriously".

His remarks travel contempt much than a twelvemonth of warring and wide grounds of Russian warfare crimes.

In the interrogation with Laura Kuenssberg, helium suggested helium was offended erstwhile challenged astir Russia's conduct.

Speaking exclusively to the BBC, Mr Kelin warned of a "new dimension" successful the war.

Insisting Russia "hasn't conscionable started yet to enactment precise seriously", the ambassador said "Russia is 16 times bigger than Ukraine. We person tremendous resources."

The magnitude of the conflict, helium said, "depends connected the efforts successful escalation of warfare that is being undertaken by Nato countries, particularly by the UK".

He added: "Sooner oregon later, of course, this escalation whitethorn get a caller magnitude which we bash not request and we bash not want. We tin marque bid tomorrow."

The ambassador's comments came arsenic 1 of Ukraine's astir elder information officials, Oleksiy Danilov, told the BBC the state is acceptable to motorboat its agelong expected counter-offensive against Russian forces.

But Mr Kelin's assertion that Russia has "enormous resources" disposable to combat clashes with aggregate reports connected the crushed of its forces being poorly equipped and without due training.

Those warnings person adjacent travel from the caput of Russia's Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, who has been heavy progressive successful the conflict.

He has been 1 of Vladimir Putin's staunchest supporters, but has been progressively vocal and captious of the regime, suggesting successful the past fewer days "we could suffer Russia" if the warfare carried connected without other resources being provided.

Earlier this period helium publically scolded Putin's ministers successful a station connected societal media, surrounded by dormant bodies of his fighters. "Where is the... ammunition?", helium said. "They came present arsenic volunteers and dice for you to fatten yourselves successful your mahogany offices."

The denial of the concern connected the crushed by Mr Kelin was accompanied by his repetition of baseless claims astir Russia's invasion, which helium inactive insisted connected calling a "special subject operation".

Mr Kelin was speaking successful his residence, underneath a chandelier, wherever the chairs are gilt and java served by unit with achromatic gloves.

He tried to blasted Ukraine for provoking the conflict. It's a acquainted and untrue assertion that has been utilized by Russian leaders for much than a twelvemonth to effort to warrant its amerciable penetration of Ukraine successful the archetypal place.

Like his ambassador, President Putin continues to assertion a neo-Nazi authorities was acceptable up successful Ukraine successful 2014 and that it was adjacent seeking to get atomic weapons, which meant Russia had nary prime but to invade.

And the ambassador denies world erstwhile it comes to the behaviour of Russian troops connected the crushed during the conflict, too.

Confronted with grounds from an authoritative United Nations study of wide crimes, torture, rape and the forced deportation of children, helium replied by claiming Ukrainian forces had committed crimes against civilians too.

There is grounds of a tiny fig of quality rights violations by Ukrainian forces. But the standard of Russian abuses is widespread, well-documented and beyond doubt.

When pressed that Russia was simply lying astir what has happened, and the wide patterns of appalling abuse, the ambassador claimed successful our interrogation to beryllium offended.

And helium had nary different effect to the latest rocket onslaught successful Dnipro different than to accidental "the occupation is that the shooting is going connected for 9 years, and each time shooting is going connected Luhansk, Donetsk and each of that", claiming that the occidental media was ignoring acts being carried retired by Ukrainian forces.

The ambassador's comments that the warfare is not yet "serious" contradicts the acquisition of truthful galore Ukrainians whose lives person been turned upside down by the war, and galore Russians who are suffering.

But arsenic Ukraine plans its counter-offensive, and Russia shows nary motion of retreat, the warfare whitethorn so get much superior still.

You tin ticker our interrogation with Ambassador Kelin connected the amusement time greeting astatine 09:00, wherever we speech astir what is going connected successful the struggle and besides astir however President Putin deals with criticism, however helium tin warrant warfare crimes, and erstwhile the struggle could end.

And, aft a large week oregon the NHS, erstwhile some Labour and the Conservatives acceptable retired their plans, we'll beryllium joined by the Health Secretary, Steve Barclay.