UK Armed Forces Minister James Heappey, speaking to the BBC’s Today programme on Saturday morning, said that all the objectives Russia aimed to gain control of in the first day of its assault remain in Ukrainian hands.
“Those Russian forces active in Kyiv are special forces units and paratroopers but the main Russian armoured columns remain some way north of the city,” he said.
Praising Ukrainian resistance he said “What stands in front of Ukraine is days and weeks of utter brutality but they are doing an amazing job.”
Meanwhile, civilian casualties mount as almost 200, including a number of children, were killed in overnight Russian attacks.
Globally, support for Ukraine is becoming stronger, and in Russia itself protests against Putin’s military actions are growing, prompting the government to criminalise protestors.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said “President Putin is responsible for bringing war back to Europe … We will target strategic sectors of the Russian economy by blocking their access to key technologies and markets. We will weaken Russia’s economic base and its capacity to modernise.”
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