Russia faces 'severe consequences' if Putin uses nukes in Ukraine, warns UK's FM

UK's foreign secretary, James Cleverly, on Monday warned Russia of "severe consequences" should President Vladimir Putin choose to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine. Cleverly warned that the head of the Russian Federation was "exacting vengeance" on civilians in Ukraine. He continued that Russia was resorting to turning to low-income countries for weaponry to make up for its "military failures." Putin's invading troops were targeting power stations and Kremlin suspended the UN-brokered grain export deal as it has been suffering an immense loss on the battlefield, Cleverly said in Commons, according to the British broadcaster Sky news. 

"The house will have noted Putin's irresponsible talk about nuclear weapons, and absurd claim that Ukraine plans to detonate a radiological dirty bomb on its own territory. No other country is talking about nuclear use. No country is threatening Russia or President Putin," James Cleverly said. 

"He [Putin] should be clear that for the UK and our allies, any use at all of nuclear weapons would fundamentally change the nature of this conflict. There would be severe consequences for Russia," the British Foreign Secretary added.

Russia suspends grain export deal citing UK's involvement in Ukrainian drone attacks 

Russian Defense Ministry, earlier last week, accused UK Royal Navy of sabotaging Europe's 1,230 km twin gas pipeline infrastructure—the Nord Stream— that runs under the Baltic Sea from Moscow. British Navy officers blew up the Nord Stream gas pipelines last month, Moscow's Defense Ministry said, asserting that they have evidence concluding an investigation. Russia's MoD directly accused the leading NATO member of sabotaging the critical Russian facility. Britain’s defense ministry is yet to issue an official response.  “According to available information, Royal Navy representatives took part in the planning and implementation of a terrorist act in the Baltic Sea on September 26 to blow up the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines”, the MoD said in a statement, citing the evidence. The UK refuted the claims as baseless. 

As Russia suspended the UN-brokered grain deal citing the UK Navy's involvement in the drone attack on its Black Sea Fleet, UK's cleverly urged the Russians not to impede grain exports. "At the weekend, Russia suspended its participation in the Black Sea grain initiative, which has allowed the exportation of 100,000 tonnes of food every day, including to some of the least developed countries in the world," said UK's Foreign Minister. 

"Putin is exacting vengeance for his military failures on the civilians of Ukraine by cutting off their power and water supply, and on the poorest people in the world by threatening their food supplies," he went on to add. Further, Cleverly noted that over 60% of the wheat exported from Ukraine under the Black Sea grain initiative negotiated by the UN was supplied to low and middle-income countries, including Ethiopia, Yemen, and Afghanistan. "It would be unconscionable for those lands to be made to suffer because of Putin's setbacks on the battlefield in Ukraine. I urge Russia to stop impeding this vital initiative that is helping feed the hungry across the world and agree to its extension."