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

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Russia has warned Western supplies of weapons to Ukraine risk escalating the war to levels not seen so far.

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

His remarks come despite more than a year of fighting and widespread evidence of Russian war crimes.

In the interview with Laura Kuenssberg, he suggested he was offended when challenged about Russia's conduct.

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

Insisting Russia "hasn't just started yet to act very seriously", the ambassador said "Russia is 16 times bigger than Ukraine. We have enormous resources."

The length of the conflict, he said, "depends on the efforts in escalation of war that is being undertaken by Nato countries, especially by the UK".

He added: "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."

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The ambassador's comments came as one of Ukraine's most senior security officials, Oleksiy Danilov, told the BBC the country is ready to launch its long expected counter-offensive against Russian forces.

But Mr Kelin's claim that Russia has "enormous resources" available to fight clashes with multiple reports on the ground of its forces being poorly equipped and without proper training.

Those warnings have even come from the head of Russia's Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, who has been heavily involved in the conflict.

He has been one of Vladimir Putin's staunchest supporters, but has been increasingly vocal and critical of the regime, suggesting in the last few days "we could lose Russia" if the war carried on without extra resources being provided.

Earlier this month he publicly scolded Putin's ministers in a post on social media, surrounded by dead bodies of his fighters. "Where is the... ammunition?", he said. "They came here as volunteers and die for you to fatten yourselves in your mahogany offices."

The denial of the situation on the ground by Mr Kelin was accompanied by his repetition of baseless claims about Russia's invasion, which he still insisted on calling a "special military operation".

Mr Kelin was speaking in his residence, underneath a chandelier, where the chairs are gilt and coffee served by staff with white gloves.

He tried to blame Ukraine for provoking the conflict. It's a familiar and untrue claim that has been used by Russian leaders for more than a year to try to justify its illegal invasion of Ukraine in the first place.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-65720980