Russia has sent a chilling World War 3 threat to the UK over the possibility of British troops being deployed to Ukraine, even warning that Moscow is willing to use nuclear weapons.
Ally of Vladimir Putin Sergei Shoigu, secretary of the powerful Russian security council and ex-defence minister, said Moscow rejected Western “peacekeepers” with boots on the ground in the war-torn country.
He also warned of Moscow’s readiness to both use nuclear weapons and restart atomic weapons’ tests in the Arctic for the first time since the Cold War, claiming Europe is secretly preparing for war against Russia by 2030.
“Sensible politicians in Europe understand that the implementation of such a scenario [putting Western troops on the ground in Ukraine] could lead to a direct clash between NATO and Russia and subsequently to World War Three,” he told state news agency TASS.
It was “more correct” to call such British and EU forces “a contingent interventionists or occupiers”, said Shoigu, referring to Sir Keir Starmer’s “coalition of the willing”.
“Where will these ‘peacekeepers’ come from?
“They will be units of the same NATO countries, against the presence of which Russia opposed even before the [war], which began largely because of this threat – the deployment of NATO military infrastructure in Ukraine, on our historical territory.”
Shoigu raged against the UK, saying that “the same British even before the [war] began were very actively building their naval base in Ochakiv in the Mykolaiv region [of Ukraine], where they not only trained naval special forces of the Ukrainian Navy, but also conducted their operations against us”.
He said: “It turns out that they will be able to return there again, but already under the flag of peacekeeping forces?”
Shoigu – who was defence minister before being replaced 11 months ago – warned: “This is exactly what French President Emmanuel Macron means when he says that Ukraine has the right to ask for the introduction of NATO contingents without consulting Russia.”
The hardliner ranted: “What will these ‘peacekeepers’ protect in Ukraine?
“Support the persecution of Orthodox Christians?
“Depriving the Russian-speaking population of the right to speak their native language, to preserve their own culture and traditions?
“This is not a peacekeeping mission. Apparently, also for these reasons, the states that make up the real world majority do not express any particular desire to participate in such ‘peacekeeping’ initiatives.”
He spoke out ahead of an expected new visit by Trump envoy Steve Witkoff for “peace talks” with Putin this week.
Shoigu, 69, Russia’s longest serving senior politician, in office since 1991, before Putin’s emergence, alleged: “An undisguised campaign is unfolding in Europe to prepare for a military conflict with the Russian Federation.
“Possible timeframes for such a clash are being announced at various levels – from three to five years.
“As early as 2030, European politicians and the military want to be ready to fight us.”
He claimed Ukraine was on the point of economic collapse and Europe plus Britain could not afford to bail it out and provide military supplies.
He warned Russia reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in case of aggression against it or ally Belarus, and was “closely following the military preparations of European countries”.
This was a reason the new nuclear-capable “wonder weapon” Oreshnik had been deployed in Belarus, he said.
He was cautious in believing a new era had begun with US-Russian relations amid Donald Trump’s alleged pro-Moscow stance on the war.
“We welcome such an approach and are ready for reciprocal steps.
“Time will show whether the Americans are ready to resolve the existing systemic problems which require resolution.
“This is a difficult and long process.
“The history of our relations with the United States shows that we can trust only concrete actions rather than verbal statements.”
He refused to rule out new Russian nuclear tests.
“Our position on this matter depends on the United States’ actions in this area,” he told TASS.
“Now, warranty periods for some types of their nuclear munitions are expiring and the development of new types of weapons is underway.
“This may push Washington toward resuming nuclear tests.
“In such an event, Russia may follow their lead as a response step.”
The USSR conducted its last nuclear test on the Arctic archipelago Novaya Zemlya on October 24, 1990.
Following it, it unilaterally declared a moratorium on nuclear tests. Russia continues to observe it. In a period from 1949 to 1990, the Soviet Union conducted 715 nuclear tests.
Separately, Putin’s ex-premier Dmitry Medvedev – who was Russian president from 2008 to 2012 – made a nuclear threat against countries, including Britain, which adhere to the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant on war crimes charges against the Kremlin dictator.
He warned “what may follow the execution of an illegal ICC judgement against a head of state who is not a party to the statute of the court.
“The very enforcement of such a judgement may be seen as a casus belli against the countries involved in its adoption,” he said.
“It is worth mentioning the danger of such decisions with regard to the leadership of a nuclear power and a permanent member of the UN Security Council.”
He warned that those who issued the warrant “can and should be prosecuted by the investigative and judicial authorities of the country whose leadership is being illegally prosecuted”.
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