A bloodthirsty Russian MP who once said a Kremlin nuclear missile “could plunge Britain into the sea” has issued a chilling warning to the West saying his “will not be shy about” preparing for World War 3.
Outspoken Aleksey Zhuravlyov is a regular on state-controlled Russia TV , often spouting threats and propaganda against Western countries, including the UK.
Just after Vladimir Putin ordered the illegal invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Zhuravlyov appeared on a news programme boasting Russia could use an underwater Poseidon nuclear weapon to cause a tidal wave over 1,500 feet high to wash over the UK.
Now the politician has made more threats against West, telling a Russian TV audience they should expect war in Europe before the end of the decade.
He said: “It is necessary to prepare the male population and, naturally, to defend the homeland (Russia). Europe explains to us that in 2028-2029 [it and its allies] will be ready to go to war with Russia. We should talk about this and not be shy about it.
“If a war happens, we must have effective military commissions, and mobilisation reserves, and they must be clearly prepared.
Zhuravlyov, 62, is a member of the nationalist Liberal Democrat Party in the Russian state parliament, the Duma, and he is under heavy Western sanctions for his support of the invasion of Ukraine.
His warmongering comments come as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today in Kyiv
Sir Keir said Britain will “play our part” in guaranteeing the Ukraine‘s security following any ceasefire with Russia. The PM indicated he was speaking to international partners about the prospect of western soldiers monitoring a future deal.
The Prime Minister’s first visit to Kyiv since entering No. 10 coincided with a drone attack by Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s forces on the Ukrainian capital.
The Labour leader heard sirens warning Kyiv’s citizens of the air raid as he met Mr Zelensky, a moment he said highlighted the “incredible resolve” of the Ukrainian people.
Sir Keir said: “Let’s be clear, we all want this war to end, no-one wants that more than Ukrainians, but right now Putin shows no sign of wanting peace.”
The air raid was “a reminder of the daily attacks and the resolve of the Ukrainian people in the face of it”.
In response to the apparent message the Russian attack had sent, Mr Zelensky said: “We will say hello to them, too.”
Asked later on Thursday whether in principle he would agree to send troops to Ukraine to safeguard any peace deal, as Mr Macron has called for, Sir Keir told Sky News: “We will be discussing this with a number of allies, including of course President Macron, including President Zelensky here today, and we will play our full part.
“We have always been one of the leading countries in relation to the defence of Ukraine, and so if you can read into that that we will be playing our full part, but I don’t want to get ahead of ourselves.
“Because this has to be enduring, lasting.”