Kremlin-aligned state television has made nuclear threats against the UK following the death of a British paratrooper in Ukraine. The Putin-backed media outlet referred to the presence of British military forces in Ukraine as a potential justification for a nuclear attack on the UK. Prominent Kremlin propagandist Vladimir Solovyov, during his nightly broadcast, stated that a nuclear strike on Britain was now inevitable.
The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed the death of 28-year-old paratrooper George Hooley in Ukraine while he was observing Ukrainian forces testing their defensive capabilities away from the front lines. Historian Andrey Sidorov, echoing the sentiments of the Kremlin, described the incident as a casus belli, pointing out that the British Ministry of Defence had officially acknowledged the death of a military officer on active duty in Ukrainian territory.
Sidorov called for the Russian foreign ministry to summon British Ambassador Nigel Casey or a chargé d’affaires to explain the presence of an active-duty military officer in Ukraine. He suggested that the situation warranted a nuclear strike against the UK due to the conflict between British and Russian forces in Ukraine.
During the broadcast, Solovyov urged for immediate action with nuclear weapons, questioning why they had not been used yet. Sidorov responded that they were currently waiting for the right moment. Lance Corporal Hooley’s death was described by the MoD as a tragic accident that occurred while he was observing the testing of a new defensive capability.
Solovyov further expressed his belief that a nuclear strike should have occurred three years ago, claiming that it would have led to a victory by now. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned about potential British troops being sent to Ukraine as peacekeepers, stating that such personnel would be seen as legitimate targets by Russia. Lavrov emphasized the involvement of British troops and special forces in the conflict against Russia, highlighting the death of one British citizen and the revelation that over 100 British nationals were fighting against the Russian Federation.
The Russian government intends to respond accordingly to what they perceive as provocative actions by the British government.