Russian envoy warns Western arms supplies to Ukraine risk escalating war

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, made the remarks in an interview with BBC.

He said his country had "enormous resources" and it was yet to "act very seriously".

Kelin warned of Russia’s undertaking 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".

"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," he said.

As Ukraine plans its counter-offensive, and Russia shows no sign of retreat, the war may indeed get more serious still.