James Cleverly also suggested the Russian president was “getting revenge” on civilians in Ukraine and low-income countries around the world for his “military failures” by targeting power plants and pulling out of a vital grain export deal. He told the Commons: “The House will have noted Putin’s irresponsible talk of nuclear weapons and the absurd claim that Ukraine is planning to detonate a radiological dirty bomb on its soil. “No other country is talking about nuclear use. No country threatens Russia or President Putin. “It should be clear that for the UK and our allies, any use of nuclear weapons would fundamentally change the nature of this conflict. There would be serious consequences for Russia.” Putin accused of ‘death by freezing’ scheme – latest in Ukraine Mr Smart also urged Russia not to block grain exports, saying: “Over the weekend, Russia suspended its participation in the Black Sea grain initiative, which allowed for the export of 100,000 tonnes of food every day, including some of the least developed countries. in the world,” he said. “Putin is taking revenge for his military failures on the citizens of Ukraine by cutting off electricity and water, and the world’s poorest people by threatening their food supplies.” Mr Expna added: “Over 60% of the wheat exported under the Black Sea Grains Initiative has gone to low and middle income countries, including Ethiopia, Yemen and Afghanistan. “It would be unconscionable for these lands to suffer because of Putin’s failures on the battlefield in Ukraine. “I urge Russia to stop blocking this vital initiative that helps feed the hungry around the world and agree to its expansion.” Image: Foreign Secretary James Cleverly “Increasingly desperate statements” The foreign secretary said the “increasingly desperate statements” from the Kremlin were designed to distract from its faltering war effort. He made the remark after Russia’s defense ministry claimed that Royal Navy personnel blew up the Nord Stream gas pipelines last month – a story the defense ministry said was “made up”. The Kremlin also claimed that “British specialists” directed Ukrainian drone strikes on Black Sea Fleet ships in the Crimean city of Sevastopol in the early hours of Saturday. Without directly referring to the allegations, he said: “Now the Kremlin is resorting to false allegations, mixing fabricated stories that say more about the fractures of the Russian government than about us.”
