Russia has made a serious threat to the UK about the possibility of British soldiers being sent to Ukraine, saying they might even use nuclear weapons if this happens.
Sergei Shoigu, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a top member of Russia’s security council, said Russia is against any Western troops entering Ukraine, even if they’re sent as “peacekeepers.” He warned that such a move could cause a direct fight between NATO and Russia, which might lead to World War Three.
Shoigu claimed that what the West calls peacekeepers are actually foreign soldiers trying to interfere or take control. He criticized UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer’s idea of a “coalition of the willing” and questioned what these forces would really be doing in Ukraine.
He also reminded everyone that before the war, the UK had already started building a naval base in Ukraine and was training Ukrainian forces there. Now, Shoigu fears they’ll return under the disguise of peacekeeping, which he believes is just another way of continuing their military operations in the region.
Shoigu strongly criticized France’s President Emmanuel Macron too, saying his support for NATO troops in Ukraine is reckless and dangerous. He accused the West of trying to protect what he called a corrupt and extreme Ukrainian regime, one that disrespects Russian culture and language and discriminates against Orthodox Christians.
He said most countries around the world aren’t interested in joining this kind of mission, because it doesn’t look like a real peace effort.
Shoigu’s comments come ahead of an expected visit from Steve Witkoff, an American envoy close to Donald Trump, who is supposed to talk with Putin about peace.
Shoigu, who has been part of the Russian government since before Putin took power, also said that Europe is preparing for war with Russia and may be ready to fight by 2030. He believes Ukraine is falling apart financially, and that the West can’t keep supporting it with weapons and money.
He warned that Russia still has the right to use nuclear weapons if they or their ally Belarus are attacked. He said Russia is paying close attention to Europe’s military activities and has already stationed a powerful new nuclear weapon, called Oreshnik, in Belarus.
Even though Trump is seen as more friendly toward Russia, Shoigu said Russia will only trust real actions, not just promises. He didn’t rule out the possibility that Russia might start nuclear testing again, depending on what the U.S. does.
He pointed out that some of America’s nuclear weapons are getting old and may need to be replaced, which could lead to new nuclear tests. If the U.S. goes down that road, Russia might do the same in response.
Russia has not tested nuclear weapons since 1990, when it declared a halt to such testing. However, Shoigu made it clear that if the global situation changes, Russia may return to testing.
Meanwhile, Dmitry Medvedev, who was once Russia’s president and is now a senior official, warned countries like the UK not to enforce the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court against Putin. He said if they try to arrest the Russian leader, it could be seen as a reason for war. He warned that even talking about arresting a leader of a nuclear country could be extremely dangerous and those responsible might face legal action from Russia.
Medvedev’s message was clear: any move against Russia’s leadership could lead to serious consequences.
