Russian TV propagandists claim Putin could use Poseidon underwater missile to destroy Britain
NATO's leaders have been warned by a top anti-Putin activist that the Russian president is setting the conditions to unleash nuclear warfare in Ukraine in a twisted warning to the rest of the world. The Russian President has been steadily ratcheting up the nuclear rhetoric and stakes as he desperately attempts to deter Western leaders from providing Ukraine's army with modern weaponry. On February 21, the Kremlin boss declared that Moscow was suspending its participation in the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty between Russia and the United States.
Putin told Russian MPs during a rambling anti-western speech that Moscow was pulling out of the New START Treaty.
The agreement was initially signed on April 8 2010 in Prague and calls for halving the number of strategic nuclear missile launchers.
In the same speech, Putin also falsely claimed that some in Washington were considering breaking a three-decade-long moratorium on nuclear testing.
Andrey Sidelnikov, a veteran former Russian politician, however, argued that Putin's words suggested he was planning something more ominous.
He told Express.co.uk: "The intention to carry out nuclear weapons testing to me shows that they plan to use tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of Ukraine.
Ukraine artillery opens fire on Russian positions (Image: Ukraine General Staff)
"Possibly on land that Putin has so far annexed and declared part of Russia.
"He already views it as Russian territory. On his territory the testing of nuclear weapons cannot be considered a war crime - that's how he sees it.
"He could not give a damn about people living there. They are just so much rubbish for him."
He added: "So he can simply show the West that if they don't agree to his conditions then he will use similar bombs (tactical nukes) in London, Berlin, Washington and in other parts of the world.
"I consider that it's a definitive new scare tactic - and moreover he really may use tactical nuclear weapons on the annexed territory."
Mr Sidelnikov spoke to the Express during a conference of Russian opposition activists in Warsaw, that took place between February 20 and 23.
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Andrey Sidelnikov is a veteran Russian politician (Image: Andrey Sidelnikov)
A Ukrainian tank opens fire (Image: Ukraine General Staff)
During his political career in Russia he acted as one of the leaders for Boris Berezovsky's Liberal Party, before going on to help found the Union of Right Forces in 1999, whose backers included Boris Nemstov and Yegor Gaidar.
He is now a member of the Executive Council of the Congress of People's Deputies (CPD) - a political forum of anti-Putin politicians determined to overthrow the present dictatorial regime and build a democratic Russia. The CPD held its first session last November, also in Poland.
The former politician also urged his fellow countrymen to resist Putin and his regime with whatever means they could.
He said: "If there is a possibility of leaving the country, it is vital they do so. Those who can fight and act as partisans should do so.
"Those who don't think they can in any way resist but don't want to be collaborators with this fascist regime - then they should nurture their inner strength for future battles in the restoration of Russia as a democratic state.
Since his speech in February, Putin has gone on to announce plans to station Russian tactical nuclear missiles in Belarus, in a clear escalation of tensions with the West.
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Nikolai Patrushev is a close ally of the Russian President (Image: Getty)
Shortly after his announcement, Nikolai Patrushev, a close ally of the Russian President, warned that Moscow had a "modern unique weapon capable of destroying any enemy, including the United States".
Dmitry Muratov, the editor-in-chief of the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, warned that the Kremlin is trying to prepare public opinion for a possible nuclear confrontation.
Mr Muratov told the BBC's Steve Rosenberg: "We see how state propaganda is preparing people to think that nuclear war isn't a bad thing.
"On TV channels here, nuclear war and nuclear weapons are promoted as if they're advertising pet food.
"They talk about targeting Britain and France; about sparking a nuclear tsunami that washes away America. Why do they say this? So that people here are ready."