Vladimir Putin and his henchmen face a “day of reckoning” with evidence of war crimes having been committed in Ukraine, a cabinet minister has said.

It was also “absolutely right” that strict sanctions against Russia should remain in place until the Kremlin withdraws its forces following the “illegal invasion”, Nadhim Zahawi told Sky News.

Russia says Ukrainian city near Poland border was hit with cruise missiles – Live updates on latest in Ukraine

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

And he insisted it was for the Russian people to decide the fate of “Putin and his cronies”, after the US President Joe Biden declared the Moscow leader “cannot remain in power”, causing the White House to issue a rapid clarification that he was not calling for regime change.

Key developments:
• This woman’s waging her own battle against Putin – and all she needs is her mobile phone
• Responding to punishing sanctions, Putin attempts to swing his own financial sword
• Powerful explosions on outskirts of city of Lviv in western Ukraine
• Kremlin’s top military officials appear for first time in weeks after ‘significant’ silence
• Survivor of theatre bombing tells of chaos in besieged Mariupol

Speaking to the Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme, Mr Zahawi said: “The important thing to remember is that there is evidence that war crimes have been committed in Ukraine, the targeting of civilian areas.

“The Deputy Prime Minister (and Justice Secretary) Dominic Raab has been working with the international criminal court to make sure that that evidence is well documented, well collected, so those who commit war crimes know that there will be a day of reckoning.”

Schools issued guidance on teaching partisan issues like BLM and Israel-Palestine conflict

Boris Johnson: Nadhim Zahawi swerves question on whether he would support PM if he was fined over the ongoing partygate scandal

Migrant crossings: Priti Patel confirms she has asked MoD to put Royal Navy in charge of policing small boats in Channel

Subscribe to the Ukraine War Diaries on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Spreaker

He also backed Foreign Secretary Liz Truss’s stance that sanctions cannot be lifted against Russia until there is a full withdrawal of troops from Ukraine.

Mr Zahawi said: “Absolutely right, I think the Russian illegal invasion has to end and the Russian army has to leave Ukraine, and it’s up to the Ukrainian people, they must be very much the ones who decide what that peace looks like.”

He added: “Clearly, the Russian military has miscalculated.

“I think the initial sort of shock and awe of taking the whole of Ukraine has not worked for them.

“The Ukrainians have fought like lions, they have defended their country.”

Related posts:

COVID roadmaps and the Budget tax debate Whitehall spending watchdog to probe Greensill’s role in COVID support schemes ‘Apply common sense’ over travel to amber list countries, says Shapps Former Labour MP breached parliament’s sexual misconduct rules, report finds Defence secretary backs UK armed forces chief over ‘Taliban has changed’ remarks Under-pressure Raab chairs meeting of ‘concerned’ G7 foreign ministers over Afghanistan crisis Raab defends not calling Afghan foreign minister while on holiday as he was ‘prioritising security’ at Kabul airport Ministers to give workers immediate right to request flexible working More than 1,200 Afghans eligible for UK didn’t make evacuation flights, defence secretary says Dorries ‘kicked off’ Tory WhatsApp group after defending ‘hero’ Johnson Lord Frost quit as Brexit minister due to ‘coercive’ COVID policies Sturgeon imposes new restrictions on large events and indoor hospitality from Boxing Day