UK

Russia warns of escalation to war if UK keeps supplying weapons to Ukraine

Russia’s ambassador to the UK has warned of an escalation to the war in Ukraine as Britain and other Western allies commit more weapons to President Volodymyr Zelensky (Jeff Overs/BBC/PA)
Russia’s ambassador to the UK has warned of an escalation to the war in Ukraine as Britain and other Western allies commit more weapons to President Volodymyr Zelensky (Jeff Overs/BBC/PA) Russia’s ambassador to the UK has warned of an escalation to the war in Ukraine as Britain and other Western allies commit more weapons to President Volodymyr Zelensky (Jeff Overs/BBC/PA)

Russia’s ambassador to the UK has warned of an escalation to the war in Ukraine as Britain and other Western allies commit more weapons to aid President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Speaking to the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, Andrei Kelin said the actions of Nato countries, “especially” the UK, risk lengthening and triggering a “new dimension” in the war.

He said Russia had “enormous resources” and despite the war already raging for over a year, he claimed his country had not yet started to “act very seriously”.

Handout photo issued by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky as they look at destroyed Russian military vehicles in Kyiv, Ukraine
Handout photo issued by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky as they look at destroyed Russian military vehicles in Kyiv, Ukraine The UK and other Nato countries are threatening to trigger a ‘new dimension’ to the war with their support for Ukraine, the Russian ambassador said (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office/PA)

Mr Kelin said: “Russia is 16 times bigger than Ukraine. We have enormous resources.

“Sooner or later, of course, this escalation may get a new dimension which we do not need and we do not want. We can make peace tomorrow.”

When asked about widespread mounting evidence of Russia’s war crimes, the ambassador said Ukraine was the one committing war crimes.

He then changed tack and said the United Nations had no power to investigate war crimes.