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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the former Nato chief has called on the West to prepare for a “worst-case” war with Russia after Vladimir Putin’s growing threats to attack.
This comes as a propaganda video showing a Russian sub launching a volley of cruise missiles from underwater in a fresh blitz on Ukraine.
The footage shows a series of Kalibr long-range rockets emerging from the Black Sea and streaking into the sky.
It is the first time Russia has reported using its submarine fleet to attack Ukraine.
Just four days ago “leaked” pictures showed Kalibr missiles being loaded into a sub in Crimean port Sevastopol.
“The crew of a diesel-electric submarine of the Black Sea Fleet launched a salvo of Kalibr cruise missiles at the military infrastructure of the Ukrainian armed forces from the Black Sea”, Russia’s defence ministry.
It claimed the rockets destroyed three electricity substations at Ukrainian railway junctions in Fastiv, Krasnosilka and Polonne.
Russia is said to have switched to firing from submarines at a safe distance after its Black Sea flagship the Moskva was sunk in a humiliating blow to Putin.
The Kalibr rocket can reportedly carry conventional or nuclear warheads and strike targets 750 miles away.
Meanwhile, residential blocks in the capital Kyiv were hit by yet more rocket blitzes yesterday and today – killing a journalist and injuring several civilians.
One strike came during a visit by UN Secretary-General António Guterres to areas around Kyiv that were pillaged by Russian forces before the retreat.
“The war is evil,” he said while standing beside destroyed blocks of flats in the smashed commuter town of Borodyanka.
Russia was forced to abandon its shambolic assault on Kyiv after heavy losses.
Instead of pursuing a peace deal, the Kremlin has stepped up threats to Western nations supplying military hardware to Ukraine.
Putin himself darkly warned he could use nuclear weapons against the UK and European allies in a speech earlier this week.
Last night Britain’s defence secretary Ben Wallace warned Putin could declare a new world war in days.
He said he fears the Russian tyrant might use traditional Victory Day celebrations on May 9, which commemorate the end of World War Two, for a mass mobilisation of troops.
Those fears were echoed today by Richard Shirreff, a former Nato deputy strategic commander for Europe.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today program the Kremlin was likely to respond aggressively but assisting Ukraine was still the “right approach”.
FURTHER READING:
He said: “The worst case is war with Russia.
“By gearing itself up for the worst case, it is most likely to deter Putin because ultimately Putin respects strength.”
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