Ambassador Andrei Kelin’s interview to Laura Kuenssberg on BBC, 28 May, 2023 (full version)

Watch the Russian Ambassador to the UK Andrei Kelin’s interview to Laura Kuenssberg on BBC. Main topics: - Conflict in Ukraine - Special military operation - Yevgeny Prigozhin’s statements - Ukrainian attacks on Belgorod Region - Situation in Donbass - War crimes by AFU - Prospects of peace talks - Weapons supply to Ukraine - Nuclear weapons - Russia-UK relations Ambassador Andrei Kelin’s key statements: ▪ The duration of the Ukrainian conflict will depend on how much it will be escalated by NATO countries, including the UK. ▪ A new step in aggravating of the conflict was the provision by London of cruise missiles Storm Shadow with a range of 250-300 km, as well as the discussed deliveries of F-16 fighters. ▪ The longer will be the reach of weapons received by Ukraine from the West, the further we would need to push back the frontline in order to protect our security and ensure safety of our citizens. ▪London, unfortunately, has decided to destroy the entire architecture of Russia-UK relations - political, economic, humanitarian and cultural in particular. ▪London seeks to take a leading position in the West’s confrontation with Russia. ▪ At the moment Ukraine totally rejects the idea of peace talks. ▪We want peace in Ukraine, but of course there are conditions. Especially two things are important for us. Ukraine should’t pose a threat to Russia and Russian people shouldn’t be discriminated in Ukraine. ▪The liberation of Donbass from occupation is Russia’s current military target. ▪It’s a big mistake and illusion to think that Ukraine can prevail or defeat Russia. Russia has enormous resources, and we haven’t even begun very serious action. ▪The freezing of the Ukrainian conflict doesn’t create a platform for stable and lasting peace in Europe. #Russia #UK #Ukraine #SpecialMilitaryOperation #Donbass