Vladimir Putin could announce new world war 'on May Day', defence secretary warns

29.04.2022 - 10:11 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk

The UK's defence secretary warns Vladimir Putin could declare a new world war in days - having 'failed' most of his objectives in Ukraine. Russia launched a devastating invasion of Ukraine back on February 24, causing destruction in cities across the eastern European country and leading to millions fleeing their homes.

Putin says the 'special military operation' has been called to rid Ukraine of 'Nazis'. Now, defence secretary Ben Wallace has warned that Russia could use May Day to announce a war on the world's 'Nazis' - starting mass mobilisation in the country, the Mirror reports.

Mr Wallace told LBC : “I would not be surprised... that he is probably going to declare on May Day that ‘we are now at war with the world’s Nazis and we need to mass mobilise the Russian people’.” He added: "Putin, having failed in nearly all objectives, may seek to consolidate what he's got... and just be a sort of cancerous growth within the country.

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"We have to help Ukrainians effectively get the limpet off the rock and keep the momentum pushing them back.” Foreign secretary Liz Truss has already warned the conflict in Ukraine, which has seen cities pummelled by shelling, could go on for 10 years.

And in the face of the West providing money and armaments to Ukraine, Russia has referred to its nuclear capabilities in threats to not get involved. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the 'danger is serious' of a nuclear war.

At the same time, around 8,000 British Army troops are to take part in exercises across eastern Europe to combat Russian aggression in one of the largest deployments since the