'Don't underestimate the West... don't test us': Defence Secretary's warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has warned Russian President Vladimir Putin to not 'underestimate the West' - noting that if allies stuck together, Russia's invasion would fail.

In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, Mr Wallace called on the West and said they 'must not be afraid of Putin'.

He claimed Putin was 'acting irrationally and inflicting horrors on Ukraine' by continuing his invasion.

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He said: "The thing to say to Putin is don't underestimate us, don't test us.

"History is littered with authoritarian leaders underestimating the wider West and the United Kingdom. He clearly underestimated the international community.”

He added: “If we stick together and refuse to be intimidated then I believe he will fail.”

It comes after Russia stepped up its warning to Western nations intervening in the war, comparing economic sanctions akin to a declaration of war.

Mr Putin warned on Saturday that declaring a no-fly zone over Ukrain would be considered as participation in the conflict.

He added that Russia would view 'any move in this direction' as an intervention that 'will pose a threat to our service members'.

“That very second, we will view them as participants of the military conflict, and it would not matter what members they are,” he said.

But, Ukraine continues to insist that implementing a no-fly zone is the only way to prevent more deaths in the conflict.

Meanwhile, NATO allies have ruled out enforcing a no-fly zone over Ukraine due to fears it could lead to an all-out war with nuclear-armed Russia.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, in an