A Pro-Kremlin political analyst claims it's 'possible' Russian President Vladimir Putin would be willing to use nuclear weapons against Western countries including Britain.
It came as Putin warned Russia would 'use all means we have' to protect its territory and accused the West of 'nuclear blackmail', saying: "This is not a bluff." In a TV address, he announced a 'partial mobilisation' in Russia as the war in Ukraine approaches the seven-month mark - a move said to mean that as many as 300,000 reservists and people with past military experience are expected to be called up.
Putin accused the West of engaging in 'nuclear blackmail' and referenced what he called 'statements of some high-ranking representatives of the leading Nato states about the possibility of using nuclear weapons of mass destruction against Russia'.
Sergei Markov, a former advisor to President Putin who's described as a political scientist, was asked on BBC Radio 4's Today programme if he agreed there was a 'clear threat' in Putin's speech not to use just tactical weapons but 'to start a general nuclear war that would kill everyone'.
"Not everyone," replied Markov. "But...kill a lot of people in the Western countries.
"It was absolutely clear that Russia has no war against Ukraine. Russia has no reason to use tactical nuclear weapons against Ukrainians. Ukrainians are our brothers and, but Ukraine is occupied by Western countries who make proxy arming from Ukrainians.
"It's Western countries fighting against Russian army using Ukrainian soldiers." He said that was a reason why Russia needed a mobilisation of reservists and those with previous military experience.
On whether nuclear missiles could come to London, he claimed 'yes, it is possible'. He was also asked whether there was a 'thinking in Russia that a nuclear war could be won'.
Markov said 'everybody in the world was thinking about nuclear war' and claimed a nuclear war could be the result of what he called the 'crazy behaviour' of US President Joe Biden, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and new PM Liz Truss.
It was put to him that such 'wild talk' was seen as 'an act of desperation'. Markov said Russia 'don't want everyone in the world to die'. "What Russia want is to stop this war with Western countries conducted against Russia on Ukrainian territory," he said.
He then went on to talk about peace before it was put to him that he had 'threatened us all with complete destruction - nuclear missiles coming to London'. He went on: "It's possible, it's possible, yes it's possible. If Great Britain will be continue to be aggressor against Russia.
"If Prime Minister Liz Truss still have plan to destroy Russia...people in London should understand this threat come from Liz Truss, who is aggressor."
Markov went on to raise his voice and say Russia had been 'liberated' and Russia was 'liberating Ukraine from your British and American occupation'. The interview was the ended. Listeners immediately took to Twitter to attack a 'deranged rant'.
Foreign Office minister Gillian Keegan said in response on the programme the comments were 'more of Putin's lies, a complete re-writing of history and a bit of sabre rattling'. "Talk of nuclear war is very unhelpful and we would urge calm. It's a serious threat but one that has been made before," she said.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, meanwhile, said Vladimir Putin’s actions were an admission that his plan was failing. "President Putin’s breaking of his own promises not to mobilise parts of the population and the illegal annexation of parts of Ukraine are an admission that his invasion is failing," Mr Wallace said.
"He and his defence minister have sent tens of thousands of their own citizens to their deaths, ill-equipped and badly led. No amount of threats and propaganda can hide the fact that Ukraine is winning this war, the international community are united and Russia is becoming a global pariah."
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