Former Russian general Yevgeny Buzhinsky, urged Putin on Monday to unleash the underwater Poseidon nuclear torpedo that he claims would wipe Britain off the map.
Military experts have now warned that Poseidon could not only destroy the UK's coastal cities, but could also cause radioactive floods and kill millions of people in London.
Professor Andrew Futter, a University of Leicester academic and nuclear weapons expert, warned: ”If the Poseidon is armed a large megaton warhead it would undoubtedly cause damage.”
Furthermore, Dr. Rod Thornton, a security expert at King's College London, claims that the fearsome weapon would ”wipe out” any cities close to the explosion site – whether that be London or New York.
Rishi Sunak warned China‘s aggression over Taiwan threatens to create a world “defined by danger, disorder and division”.
As his government published an update to the Integrated Review – a major defence, security and foreign policy review – our prime minister predicted a “difficult and dangerous decade”.
The document warned any potential future war in the Indo-Pacific could have “global consequences greater than the conflict in Ukraine”.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is planning on opening two war crimes cases linked to Russia‘s illegal invasion of Ukraine, according to a report in the New York Times citing current and former officials with knowledge of the decision.
The news comes a week after an ICC prosecutor visited Ukraine for the fourth time.
Karim AA Khan KC said the visit enabled the court to “take key steps forward in our investigative work… and meet with those impacted by alleged international crimes in Ukraine.
“I leave Ukraine with a sense that the momentum towards justice is accelerating.”
After visiting a children's care home in southern Ukraine, Mr Khan said it was “empty” as a “result of alleged deportation of children from Ukraine to the Russian Federation or their unlawful transfer to other parts of the temporarily occupied territories”.
He added: “As I noted to the United Nations Security Council last September, these alleged acts are being investigated by my Office as a priority.
“Children cannot be treated as the spoils of war.”
According to reports, President Xi Jinping is planning to hold talks with Volodymyr Zelensky for the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine over a year ago.
The Wall Street Journal said a video call would probably take place between the two leaders after the Chinese leader visits Moscow next week.
Mr Xi is apparently also planning on visiting a number of European countries after Russia, the newspaper claimed.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping is planning to visit Russia as early as next week, according to reports citing people familiar with the matter.
The visit would send a strong message that Beijing is strengthening its relationship with Moscow.
It may well also raise concerns expressed by Western nations that China may start supplying lethal aid to Russia.
Oleksandr Matsievskyi, a soldier who was apparently executed by Russian machine gun fire in a shocking video which spread across social media last week, has been awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine by Volodymyr Zelensky.
In his late night address on Sunday, the Ukrainian President said: “Today I conferred the title of Hero of Ukraine upon Oleksandr Matsievskyi, a soldier. A man whom all Ukrainians will know. A man who will be remembered for ever. For his bravery, for his confidence in Ukraine and for his ‘Glory to Ukraine!'”
It's being reported that Russia's defence ministry is putting in place a new recruitment campaign on April 1 to hire 400,000 professional soldiers with its army.
Orders have been sent to different regions on the numbers of people with whom military contracts shall be signed as plans reveal that Sverdlovsk and Chelyabinsk Oblasts will have 10,000 contractors each whole 9,000 will be recruited for Perm Krai.
This plan aims to compensate for Russia's lost specialised men such as tank drivers and artillerymen.
India is calling for the G20 to “move on” from Russia's invasion of Ukraine and put its focus on global poverty as its summit negotiator Amitabh Kant compared “one war” to 200million people below poverty line.
He said: “Nutrition has been impacted, health outcomes have been impacted, learning outcomes have been impacted, people have become stunted and wasted and we are just concerned with one Russia and Ukraine war.
“The world needs to move on and Europe needs to find a solution to its challenges.”
Less than 3,000 residents, including 33 children, remain in Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko has reported.
Amid ongoing evacuation efforts in the Ukrainian city, the Governor said: ”There are people who absolutely refuse to leave.”
Polish security forces detained six people suspected of spying for Russia, RMF reported yesterday.
Speaking on Polskie Radio 1 earlier today, defence minister Mariusz Blaszczak said: “I would like to emphasise the great success achieved by the officers of the internal security agency, because the whole spy network has been unravelled.
“This is undoubtedly proof that the Polish services work for the security of our country in a very efficient manner.”
Ukrainian's have gathered in Mariupol to light up candles during a memorial event on the anniversary of the Mariupol Theater Airstrike.
Pentagon spokesperson, Pat Ryder, has claimed they released the video of a Russian jet “dumping fuel” on a US drone to “demonstrate publically what type of actions the Russians had taken”.
He added that they do not “seek conflict with Russia”.
Pat Ryder says the US did not ask Russia for an apology.
Speaking to Volodymyr Zelensky today, Rishi Sunak praised Ukraine's “impressive defence” of Bakhmut.
Speaking during a phone call today with the Ukrainian, Rishi said Ukrainian marines were undertaking training drills in the UK.
They both also agreed the addition of French forces to the training programme would give Ukraine an advantage on the battlefield according to a Downing Street spokesperson.
The spokesperson added: “(Rishi Sunak) added that it was vital Ukraine had the capabilities to change the battlefield equation as soon as possible, and updated on the delivery of further UK military aid,”
A documentary about Alexei Navalny, the Russian opposition leader who was poisoned and imprisoned, won best feature documentary at the Oscars.
The statue was accepted by Navalny's wife, Yulia Navalnaya, and daughter, Dasha Navalnaya.
Yulia said: “My husband is prison just for telling the truth. My husband is in prison just for defending democracy.
“Alexei, I am dreaming of the day you will be free and our country will be free. Stay strong my love.”
And speaking before the ceremony started, Dasha said: “It's crazy. But it's my life. And I'm fighting for freedom of speech and I'm fighting to get Alexei out – my dad – and I'm fighting for democracy in Russia.”
The US Airforce has released a map detailing the approximate times and locations a Russian fighter jet struck a US MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Black Sea.
USAFE-AFAFRICA tweeted: “The graphic below depicts approximations of the locations and times of the @usairforce MQ-9 Reaper collision and crash into the Black Sea.
“The video released earlier today by @US_EUCOM occurs at the middle plot point on the timeline.”
Volodymyr Zelensky took to social media today to say he had a “good conversation” with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
The Ukrainian president also thanked Britain for its “unwavering position”.
Zelensky tweeted: “A good conversation with [UK flag emoji] PM @RishiSunak.
“I informed him of the situation at the front, Bakhmut's defense.
“Exchanged views on recent international events.
“As always, we have concrete results in increasing defense & economic support for [Ukraine flag emoji].
“Appreciate [UK flag emoji]'s unwavering position!”
The UK's Ministry of Defence has released its latest map of how the war in Ukraine is unfolding on the ground.
MoD tweeted: “The illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is continuing.
“The map below is the latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine – 16 March 2023.
“Find out more about the UK government's response: ow.ly/B7OH50NcVCQ
“#StandWithUkraine”
A UN-backed inquiry released today concluded that Russian attacks against Ukrainian civilians – including torture and killings – amount to war crimes.
The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine called Russia's tactics “indiscriminate and disproportionate”.
Erik Mse, a former Norwegian Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights judge who led the investigation, said: “There were elements of planning and availability of resources which indicate that the Russian authorities may have committed torture as crimes against humanity.”
A Sky News military analyst has said the collision between an unmanned US drone and Russian fighter jet on Tuesday was “almost certainly not intentional” and caused by “an incompetent Russian pilot”.
The surveillance drone was clipped while flying over the Black Sea by a Russian warplane.
Sean Bell added: “This accident shows the unintended consequences of an escalation in tensions that could have catastrophic consequences for escalation of the war.”
