The world's five nuclear superpowers are 'on the brink of a direct armed conflict' which will have 'catastrophic consequences', Russia has warned.
The Kremlin said on Wednesday that avoiding a nuclear clash between the world's nuclear powers was its first priority, but accused the West of 'encouraging provocations with weapons of mass destruction'.
Western capitals have said Moscow is behind a ramping up of nuclear rhetoric since Russia invaded Ukraine in February - most recently by repeatedly accusing Kyiv of planning to use a radioactive 'dirty bomb' without offering evidence. Kyiv has denied having any such plan.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said it feared the five declared nuclear powers were teetering 'on the brink of a direct armed conflict' and that the West must stop 'encouraging provocations with weapons of mass destruction, which can lead to catastrophic consequences'.
'We are strongly convinced that in the current complicated and turbulent situation, caused by irresponsible and impudent actions aimed at undermining our national security, the most immediate task is to avoid any military clash of nuclear powers,' the ministry said in a statement.
In September, Putin said he was 'not bluffing' when he stated that Russia was prepared to use 'all available means' to defend its territory.
He also said the US had created a 'precedent' at the end of World War Two when it dropped two atomic bombs on Japan.
Shortly afterwards, Ramzan Kadyrov, leader of the Chechnya region and a key ally of Putin's, called for Russia to use a 'low-yield nuclear weapon' in Ukraine.
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