A top Kremlin official, in charge of Russia’s foreign and defence Policy, has urged Vladimir Putin to ‘use nuclear weapons and finish’ the UK and Europe.
This latest threat of nuclear Armageddon comes after the UK announced it would be deploying 1,500 Royal Marines to the Arctic and High North region amid rising tensions with both Russia and within NATO. Sergey Karaganov, who chairs Russia’s Council for Foreign and Defence Policy, cautioned that if NATO backing delivered a Ukrainian victory, Putin “would use nuclear weapons and Europe would be finished physically.”
Speaking with right-wing American commentator Tucker Carlson, Karaganov also made the rare decision to criticise his own government, accusing it of being “too patient” with European nations.
Sergey Karaganov has claimed Putin would use nuclear weapons against European if Russia lost in Ukraine -Credit:Getty
“I am criticising my government of being too prudent and too patient with them… But sooner or later, if they continue to support this war, sacrificing numerous Ukrainians and others… We’ll have to punish them severely,” the Russian official admitted.
He went on to quell any talk of a Russian defeat, calling the idea of this a “fantastic illusion”, adding there was an “intellectual incapacity” across European leadership, reports the Mirror.
“Everybody in the world now laughs at Europe, which used to be, by the way, one of the core centres of world power,” he continued. “Now it’s a joke. And of course, I am not speaking of all Europe. We know that there are decent Europeans. There are smart Europeans.”
What was initially described as a three-day “special military operation” by Putin has lasted close to four years, costing more than a million Russian lives. As of Monday (January 12), the conflict had officially lasted longer than the Soviet Union spent battling Nazi Germany between 1941 and 1945, during World War II, the largest, bloodiest conflict of the 20th century.
The war in Ukraine is approaching its four-year anniversary -Credit:Press Service Of The President Of Ukraine via AP
However, Karagnov insists European leaders were “unable to understand what is happening fully” as the continent has been “intellectually degrading” since 1968.
“They believe that war will never come to their territory. They forgot about the war and that it’s terrible. Now, one of the tasks of Russia, in addition to all others, is to bring them to [their] senses hopefully without using nuclear weapons.”
Recently, the UK confirmed it will upgrade its military presence in the Arctic and High North, deploying around 1,500 Royal Marines to the region, though this has been seen as a deterrent to Donald Trump as much as it is to Putin.
The U.S. President continues to suggest that a looming American invasion of Greenland is approaching, despite repeatedly being rebuffed by officials from both the ice sheet and Denmark, which controls it.
Denmark’s defence minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, said on Wednesday the joint operation in the Arctic would involve several allied countries, warning that “no one can predict what will happen tomorrow”.
BARDUFOSS, NORWAY – MARCH 4: British Royal Marines go through survival exercises March 4, 2013 in a forest at the Allied Arctic Training Center in Bardufoss, Norway. Staying warm is a priority for NATO forces in the Arctic. Buddy systems are encouraged to make sure they take proper care of themselves. (Photo by Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images)
Downing Street confirmed one UK military officer had been deployed at Denmark’s request to join a reconnaissance group ahead of a planned Arctic Endurance exercise.
“We share President Trump’s concern about the security of the High North. And you see this as part of Nato and JEF nations stepping up to reinforce security in the High North,” a spokesperson said. “Stepping up with stronger exercising, to deter the Russian aggression and the Chinese activity.”
Germany, Sweden, Norway, and France confirmed they would send personnel to the joint mission, which aims to map out further cooperation to bolster regional security and “strengthen our ability to operate in the area,” Denmark’s Ministry of Defence said in a statement.
As a part of NATO-member Denmark, Greenland is already covered by the defence alliance’s Article 5 protections, which state that an attack on any one of its members must be considered an attack on them all. Despite this, Trump claims Russia or China could soon gain control of the territory, without confirmation from either nation that this is an objective.
The Trump administration’s continued threats to use force to annex Greenland have prompted concerns of a NATO civil war scenario and the future of the transatlantic alliance.