Ukraine Russia Conflict: UK defence minister praises Ukraine armed forces, calls it ‘amazing heroism’

UK Defence minister James Heappey praised the Ukrainian armed forces calling its action "amazing heroism" and "extraordinary courage". He said "It's just the most monstrous loss of life that is a deliberate tactic used by the Russians to besiege cities and impose cost on the civilian population that has remained."

"I would just say that whatever is going on in Ukraine from the Russians is extraordinarily bleak and I think that the resolve of the Ukrainian people and President Zelensky to keep fighting and to win back their territory is amazing, the cost is enormous" he added. 

"Putin however, will be held to account and so too will everybody who serves in his government and the chain of command who have been responsible for these atrocities" he said. 

Russia launched a war on Ukraine on February 24. However, according to the latest updates, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky voiced concerns that Russian forces could use chemical weapons in Ukraine but did not confirm whether they had been used in his daily video address late on Monday. Earlier on Monday evening, Ukrainian authorities claimed Russia dropped a drone carrying a toxic substance on the south-eastern city of Mariupol. However, more than 10,000 civilians have died in Mariupol, the city’s mayor has said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities are warning people not to go near what they say are landmines being dropped on Kharkiv.