Britain on nuclear target, warns ex-Vladimir Putin advisor Sergei Markov

Sergei Markov, a former adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin and now a professor of International Relations (at Moscow University), blamed western leaders, including Joe Biden, Boris Johnson, and Liz Truss, for the Ukraine war. Markov launched a tirade against western countries for the war and warned that Britain's aggressive behavior could result in several UK cities becoming nuclear targets. Markov was on BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Putin’s Nuclear Threat

Markov’s rant on the West follows Putin’s morning address to the Russians, where he mentioned a partial mobilization of reservists of the Russian military to fight in Ukraine. In his speech, Putin spelt out in no uncertain terms that Russia is not afraid of deploying nuclear weapons unless the West stops meddling in Ukraine and continues to threaten Russia’s territorial integrity. The Russian president claimed that North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) officials are making veiled threats to use nuclear weapons against Russia.

The West is responsible

Markov said that Ukrainians and Russians are brothers, there is no war on Ukraine, and the question of going nuclear (on Ukraine) does not arise. But the Western occupation of Ukraine is at the root of the conflict. "Russia is actually liberating Ukraine from the hold of the UK and the US," commented an aggressive Markov. He went on to add that peace is possible only if people in London understand that British Prime Minister Liz Truss is the aggressor.




Markov was caught off guard when asked if Russia believes there will be a winner at the end of a nuclear war. Puzzled Markov reacted by saying Russia does not want everyone to die; they only want to solve the issue of the West's dominance of Ukraine. A confused Markov, however, could not clarify his threat of using nuclear weapons on British cities and not starting a full-scale nuclear war.

The Foreign Office Reacts

Meanwhile, Gillian Keegan, the British Foreign Office Minister, commented on Markov's views as somewhat like Putin's lies. Talk of nuclear war is not a solution, with several countries having enough nuclear weapons.

FAQs

1. Why is Russia repeatedly talking about the occupation of Ukraine by Western countries?
   Russia is talking from an economic angle, which includes issues like gas and minerals, which several countries in Europe source from Ukraine and Russia.
2. Are Markov’s threats real?
   Aggressive talk can sometimes be a part of a well-planned diplomatic exercise. No one today, for sure, actually wants a nuclear war which will lead to total destruction.