Ukraine on alert over ‘unpredictable’ Vladimir Putin whose 'plan has gone to s**t'

A member of a Ukrainian special task force believed the downfall of Vladimir Putin is only a matter of time.

As people across the world celebrate 31 years of Ukrainian independence Valentyn Ilchuk remains with his comrades on the Black Sea Coast.

Russia has struggled to break down fierce Ukrainian resistance and the war is now approaching a six-month anniversary.

Ilchuk, already a war veteran from fighting in the Donbas, said he is concerned about Putin being "unpredictable" as all of his plans "have gone to s**t."

He said to the Metro: "Everyone’s very cautious because Russia has already shown it does not care for anything human, or humane for that matter, so we can expect anything at this point."

Ilchuk is a veteran of the war in the Donbas and took up arms again when Putin invaded Ukraine (Facebook)

The former Warick University exchange student said there were fears Putin would use the day to escalate his cruelty in Ukraine.

He claimed he had heard rumours of members of the Azov regiment, set up as a far-right paramilitary and now part of Ukraine's national guard, were held in cages in the streets of Mariupol.

On Wednesday, August 23, spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Ravina Shamdasani responded to reports that Russian-backed authorities appeared to be installing metal cages in a hall to help set up an "international tribunal."

The UN is concerned about the treatment of Ukrainian POWs (Facebook)

She said: "We are very concerned about the manner in which this is being done.

"There are pictures in the media of cages being built in Mariupol's philharmonic hall, really massive cages and apparently the idea is to restrain the prisoners.

"This is not acceptable, this is humiliating," she added, also criticising the fact the UN had not been granted access to the prisoners.

Ilchuk's regiment has taken on light causualties (Facebook)

Ilchuk added: "I have also heard about the Mariupol prisoners of war from the Azov regiment being put in cages out in the streets.

"It’s not even medieval, I don’t know how to describe it, it’s barbaric.

"If they are capable of something like that I can understand how they could press the button."

"Mykolaiv is being barraged by rockets, a sports school was completely destroyed, and we all know Putin loves dates so I don’t think he will let independence day slide."

Ukrainian troops are concerned Putin may use Independence Day for a major war statement (Facebook)

The US State Department also warned Russia was "stepping up efforts" to launch strikes against civilian structures.

They said: "The Department of State has information that Russia is stepping up efforts to launch strikes against Ukraine's civilian infrastructure and government facilities in the coming days."

As Ukraine celebrates 31 years of independence, Ilchuk said the warfare seen in the country was like "World War One" and fighting in it was like being in a video game.

Putin's war in Ukraine has not gone as well as expected for Russia (MIKHAIL KLIMENTYEV/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images)

His unit has only sustained light casualties and is now expected to be part of a push to take back the city of Kherson, controlled by the Russians in early March.

Far away from his life as boss of digital agency Zgraya Digital, he now hopes to be able to liberate Ukraine and see the end of Putin's regime in Russia, while his wife and daughter were evacuated to Estonia.

Ilchuk said the war was like fighting in a video game (Facebook)

He added: "As long as we kill enough of them and send all of them home, I don’t think Russia will survive.

"I don’t think Putin will remain President and Russia will collapse under its own weight.

"For me, victory is not just about restoring the borders to the way they were on February 14, it’s about getting the Crimea and Donbas back and going back to our proper legal, lawful borders the way they are supposed to be."