Russian forces are reorganising before launching “large-scale” attacks in Ukraine, the Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday.
UK intelligence chiefs fear Vladimir Putin will order soldiers to become “increasingly violent” towards the Ukrainian population at frustration his plans to install a puppet, pro-Kremlin government in Kyiv have so far failed.
An agreement to evacuate civilians trapped in besieged towns through nine “humanitarian corridors” was reportedly reached on Wednesday, but Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said those trying to escape the largely destroyed city of Mariupol had been taken prisoners by Russian troops.
In a statement the MoD said: “The battlefield across northern Ukraine remains largely static with Russian forces likely conducting a period of reorganisation before resuming large-scale offensive operations.
“Russian forces are attempting to envelop Ukrainian forces in the east of the country as they advance from the direction of Kharkiv in the north and Mariupol in the south.”
The MoD added: “Russian efforts to subdue the population by manipulating the media, spreading propaganda and installing pro-Kremlin leaders have so far failed.
“Russia will probably respond to these failures by employing increasingly violent and coercive measures in an attempt to suppress the Ukrainian population.”
It comes as Russian leaders refused to rule out the possibility of using nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not answer when asked three times whether the Kremlin would launch the devastating artillery.
He blamed the “anti-Russia” west for refusing to listen to Moscow’s “concerns” about Ukraine over the last decade.
Ukrainian MP Lesia Vasylenko accused invading soldiers of already using rape as “an instrument of war” and said the “first rape case charges” against Russian troops had been placed by the general prosecutor office in Kyiv.
She added that as of this morning 121 Ukrainian children had been killed in the fighting, while 135 hospitals had been shelled including nine that were completely destroyed.
Mr Zelensky said about 100,000 people are still in the besieged city of Mariupol, trapped in “inhumane conditions” and under constant attack from Russian forces.
In his nightly address on Tuesday, he said groups fleeing along an agreed humanitarian route were “captured” and taken prisoners.
121 #Ukraine children killed by #Russia. 135 hospitals shelled. 9 completely destroyed. #WarDay #28
— Lesia Vasylenko (@lesiavasylenko) March 23, 2022
He added: “There are about 100,000 people in the city - in inhumane conditions, in a complete blockade, no food, no water, no medicine, under constant shelling.”
Mr Zelensky is due to speak with Nato tomorrow and is expected to ask for supplies of long-range anti-tank weapons.
Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK Vadym Prystaiko said: “We have enough weapons to stop tanks immediately when they approach us. But to clear out our land we need to have something with a much greater distance.”
US President Joe Biden was due to arrive in Brussels on Wednesday for talks with European leaders, carrying with him plans for more sanctions on Moscow.
Sources suggest around 300 members of the Duma, Russia’s assembly, could face financial penalties.
“No final decisions have been made about who we will sanction and how many we will sanction,” a White House spokesman said.
“We will have additional sanctions measures to announce that will rolled out in conjunction with our allies on Thursday when the president has the opportunity to speak with them.”
It comes amid rumours Russia could be expelled from the G20 group of the world’s largest economies.
Jake Sullivan, the US White House National Security Advisor, said: “On the question of the G20, I will just say this: We believe that it cannot be business as usual for Russia in international institutions and in the international community.”
However China indicated that it would not support the move.
Mr Biden has vowed not to engage in direct conflict with Russia but has pledged the US will defend all Nato territory and has ordered more troops to Nato’s eastern flank.
Alexander Rodnyansky, an advisor to Mr Zelensky, said countries must stop buying Russian commodities and impose tougher sanctions against more Kremlin allies immediately.
He singled out those still purchasing gas from Russia as “financing the war efforts” and said anyone linked to the Kremlin should be sanctioned not just supremely rich and high profile oligarchs.
“I’ve been pushing and saying that these sort of individual targeted sanctions have been long overdue,” he told LBC.
“So they should have been introduced many years ago after the annexation of Crimea, because they are especially effective at putting pressure on the Russian regime.”
He added that morale in Ukraine was still high.
“We believe that truth is on our side and we cannot give up our country,” he said.
