Grant Shapps branded a "newly-minted cretin" by Russia in escalating Ukraine conflict

Russia accuses Shapps of trying to start World War Three

Russia's former president, Dmitri Medvedev, has launched a scathing attack on British Defence Minister Grant Shapps, branding him a "newly-minted cretin" and accusing him of attempting to escalate the conflict in Ukraine to the point of World War Three. Medvedev's comments were made on the social media platform Telegram, where he criticized Shapps's suggestion that the UK would send British troops to Ukraine in a move to support the Ukrainian military. Medvedev gloated at the idea that any British soldiers in Ukraine would be "mercilessly destroyed."

Rishi Sunak defends Shapps's stance

Rishi Sunak, who recently appointed Shapps to the role in a mini reshuffle, quickly stepped in to clarify Shapps's comments. Sunak emphasized that Shapps was merely suggesting the possibility of British training courses for Ukrainian soldiers taking place in Ukraine itself, not the immediate deployment of troops. He stressed that there are currently no British soldiers fighting in the conflict and that the training of Ukrainian forces is being conducted within the UK.

NATO countries refrain from sending troops

Despite the escalating conflict in Ukraine, all NATO countries, including the UK, have thus far refrained from sending troops to the region. The fear is that such a move could draw them deeper into the war.

President Biden removes proposed financial aid for Ukraine

In a further setback for Ukrainian support, President Joe Biden signed off on a funding bill that omits billions of dollars of proposed financial aid for Ukraine. This decision comes just nine days after Ukrainian President Zelensky's visit to Washington, during which he appealed for continued US support.

European companies implicated in supplying parts for Iranian drones in Ukraine

A leaked document from Kyiv to its western allies has revealed that Iranian kamikaze drones used in attacks on Ukrainian cities contain parts manufactured by European companies. The document identifies five European companies, including a Polish subsidiary of a British multinational, as the original manufacturers of these components.

UK's role in training Ukrainian armed forces

Since the outbreak of the conflict, the UK has trained more than 20,000 members of the Ukrainian armed forces through the British operation Interflex. This number is expected to exceed 30,000 by the end of the year.