28 May 2023 , 11:23
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Russia's ambassador to Britain chillingly threatened “a new dimension” in the war with Ukraine today.
Andrei Kelin accused the UK of fuelling an “escalation” in the 15-month conflict by supplying long-range missiles to Kyiv and helping the regime obtain fighter jets.
Issuing the warning, the envoy claimed nuclear-armed Moscow had "enormous resources" and, despite the war already raging for over a year, his country was yet to "act very seriously".
Mr Kelin insisted Kremlin troops - who invaded on February 24 last year - would win the fight.
"It’s a big idealistic mistake to think that Ukraine may prevail,” he told BBC1's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.
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“Russia is 16 times bigger than Ukraine - we have enormous resources.
Russian ambassador Andrei Kelin clashed with BBC interviewer Laura Kuenssberg (PA)“We haven’t started yet to act very seriously.”
Mr Kelin, who was appointed Vladimir Putin’s London mouthpiece in 2019, claimed an “escalation of war” was being “undertaken by NATO countries, especially by the UK”.
In the latest sinister diplomatic salvo from the Kremlin, he added: “Sooner or later, of course, this escalation may get a new dimension which we do not need and we do not want.”
But he added: “We can make peace tomorrow if Ukrainians say they will be prepared to negotiate."
In a bitter clash with BBC host Ms Kuenssberg, who was speaking to the diplomat at his official residence in Kensington Palace Gardens - dubbed London’s “Billionaires’ Row” - Mr Kelin threatened to stop the interview because of her tough questioning.
He has been the ambassador to the UK since 2019 (PA)She told him: “It’s remarkable speaking to you this afternoon that you are happy to repeat claims that have been disproven, you’re happy to try to deflect questions, you’re happy to mislead our audience about the truth - maybe you’re even lying to yourself about what is really going on.”
He hit back: “I think they have told you, if you try to offend me once again we will just stop this interview.”
He added: “I am not misleading you, I am just telling you our side of this story.”
The TV clash came as Kyiv was hit by the largest drone raids since the start of the war.
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Russia launched the “most massive attack” on the city overnight with Iranian-made Shahed drones, said Serhii Popko, a senior military official in the capital.
Russia fired dozens of Shahed drones at Kyiv (Ebrahim Noroozi/AP/REX/Shutterstock)The attack lasted more than five hours, with air defences reportedly shooting down dozens of drones.
A 41-year-old man was killed and a 35-year-old woman was injured when debris fell on a seven-storey building and started a fire, Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
Ukraine’s air force said Saturday night was record-breaking for the number of Shahed drone attacks across the country.
Of 54 drones launched, 52 were shot down by air defence systems, it said.
Today is Kyiv Day, marking the 1,541st anniversary of the city’s official founding.
The timing of the drone attacks was unlikely to be a coincidence, according to Ukrainian officials.
Mr Popko added: “Today, the enemy decided to ‘congratulate’ the people of Kyiv on Kyiv Day with the help of their deadly UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles).”
Ukraine’s chief presidential aide Andriy Yermak said on Telegram: “The history of Ukraine is a long-standing irritant for the insecure Russians.”
In the north-eastern Kharkiv province, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said a 61-year-old woman and a 60-year-old man were killed in two separate shelling attacks.
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