Ukraine conflict: UK military chief warns Britons against fighting Russia on battlefield

Britain's most senior military official has warned against sending UK troops to fight against Russia in Ukraine, as fierce fighting in the country entered the eleventh day.

The head of the UK armed forces Admiral Tony Radkin told the BBC on Sunday, “It's unlawful as well as unhelpful for UK military, and for the UK population, to start going towards Ukraine.”

“Support from the UK, support in whatever way you can. But this isn't really something that you want to rush to, in terms of the sound of gunfire.”

The remarks were in response to comments made by British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who said she “absolutely” supported anyone who wanted to volunteer to go to Ukraine for the fight.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made an appeal for foreign fighters to head to Ukrainian embassies worldwide to sign up for an "international brigade" of volunteers to fight side by side with the Ukrainians against Russia.

Last month, British Armed Forces Minister James Heappey warmed against sending NATO and UK troops to Ukraine. “We must all be clear what the risk of miscalculation would be, and how existential that could very quickly become if people miscalculate and things escalate unnecessarily.”

Britain, NATO must avoid sending troops to Ukraine: UK minister

The British armed forces minister has warned against sending NATO and UK troops to Ukraine, amid an ongoing conflict between Russia and Kiev.

Britain has placed 1,000 troops on standby in Eastern Europe in case of a humanitarian crisis in the region. Asked if those troops would now be deployed to Ukraine, Heappey ruled out any such deployment.

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a military campaign in Ukraine over concerns about NATO's military activities close to its borders.

In a bid to end the deadly conflict, Putin said on Friday that he was “open to dialog with the Ukrainian side, as well as with everyone who wants peace in Ukraine.”

The two sides are holding talks in Belarus for a way out of the conflict. During the second round of talks on Friday, they agreed to create humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians from unspecified locations. A third round of talks is expected to take place on Monday.

Earlier attempts to allow civilians to leave the besieged port city of Mariupol failed when both sides on Saturday accused the other of shelling.

Russia resumes 'offensive' after Mariupol ceasefire as Putin warns against no-fly zone

Russia resumes

Meanwhile, a barrage of Russian missiles destroyed a civilian airport in Vinnytsia in central Ukraine on Sunday.

President Zelensky said, "I have just been informed about a missile strike on Vinnytsia. Eight rockets... The airport was completely destroyed."

Vinnytsia is in the western area of central Ukraine, far from the Russia-Belarus border.

Zelensky also reiterated the need for Western powers to enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine to prevent more Russian attacks. "We repeat every day: close the sky over Ukraine. Close for all Russian missiles, for Russian combat aircraft, for all their terrorists."

"If you don't, if you don't give us at least planes so we can protect ourselves, there's only one thing to conclude; you want us to be killed very slowly."

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