Russia warns it could ‘accidentally’ start nuclear war as ‘powerless’ Western leaders misjudge the risk of World War III – days after threatening to nuke London and Washington if it loses in Ukraine

A close aide and former president of Vladimir Putin today warned the West that Russia is capable of accidentally starting a nuclear war.

Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy head of Putin’s Security Council, told “powerless” Western leaders that they were misjudging the risk of nuclear war, both as a deliberate decision by Putin – and as a terrifying accident.

“This clock, which is ticking in a certain direction, has now accelerated very much,” Medvedev warned, pointing to the “clear threat to all humanity.” ‘And in this I also see the inability, excuse me, the impotence of these Western authorities.’

‘(They) keep saying the same thing: “No, it’s the Russians who scare us, they will never do it.” They’re wrong.’

It comes just days after the ex-president threatened that Russia could bomb Britain, the US, Ukraine and their allies with nuclear weapons if Russia is forced to cede occupied territories.

“Attempts to restore Russia’s 1991 borders will lead to only one thing: a global war with Western countries using our entire strategic (nuclear) arsenal against Kiev, Berlin, London and Washington.

“And against all other beautiful historical places that have long been among the flight targets of our nuclear triad,” he said on Sunday, referring to Russia’s nuclear weapons offer.

Critics, one of Russia’s most aggressive pro-war commentators, say Medvedev’s threats are empty.

But recent rhetoric has highlighted how willing Russia might be to use nuclear weapons if cornered and faced with the loss of occupied territories.

“As sad as it may sound, this (nuclear war) scenario is real,” the outspoken Putin lackey said in his latest speech. ‘We must do everything we can to prevent this.’

“When it comes to the survival of our country, and I said this recently, what choice is left for the (Russian) leadership, for the head of state?” he continued.

He added unequivocally: “So this is unfortunately a real threat, a direct and clear threat to all of humanity.

‘And secondly, there are also accidents, from which no one is immune. And the accidental, unintended onset of a nuclear conflict cannot be ruled out.

“So all these games around Ukraine are extremely dangerous.”

Last weekend the former president – ​​who served from 2008 to 2012 – suggested that London and other Western capitals could be destroyed if Russia loses the war.

He asked rhetorically: “Will we have the courage to do this when the disappearance of a thousand-year-old country, our great motherland, is at stake, and the sacrifices made by the Russian people over the centuries will be in vain?” The answer is obvious.’

He suggested at the time that Kiev and the West should give Putin the parts of Ukraine he considers Russia.

In his speech today, Medvedev claimed that the Kremlin still plans to take the Ukrainian capital Kiev, but that this may be at a later stage of the conflict.

‘Where to stop? Don’t know. I think that, given what I have said, we will still have to work hard and seriously.

‘Will it be Kiev? Yes, it should probably be Kiev.

“If not now, then in some time, perhaps at another stage of the development of this conflict.

‘For two reasons: Kiev is a Russian city, and from there there is a threat to the survival of the Russian Federation.

He added that invaded Ukrainians who resist Putin’s iron rule will be sent to Siberia for “re-education” in exchange for the sinister Stalinist GULAG camps.

“Residents of new regions who ‘harm Russia’ must be punished,” he said, outlining a Stalinist method to break their opposition.

“They should be sent to Siberia for re-education in forced labor camps.”

Less than a week ago, he said the Kremlin’s leading foe, Alexei Navalny, had reportedly been “murdered” in an Arctic penal colony in Siberia after apparently collapsing while out for a walk on February 16.

The Kremlin has denied the allegations.