The Kremlin today threatened “nuclear strikes” if the West refuses to kowtow to Vladimir Putin’s demands over Ukraine. The warning from the dictator’s hardline foreign minister Sergei Lavrov came as Russia is being forced onto the back foot in the war, highlighted by a devastating attack this week on Moscow’s main oil refinery.

Claiming the Kremlin is under unprecedented threat from the West, Putin’s top diplomat alleged the current turmoil could spin out of control into a nuclear World War 3. Lavrov said: “This state of affairs poses serious threats to global security. A direct confrontation between NATO and Russia could rapidly escalate into an exchange of nuclear strikes, with catastrophic consequences.”

He criticised Europe including Britain for a “dream of expansion” into Putin’s backyard intending to “absorb Ukraine and Moldova, while pulling Armenia into its sphere of influence”, as France offers nuclear protection to other Western states.

He added: “NATO has already expanded eastward, swallowing up Finland and Sweden.

As for Ukraine, it is increasingly eyed as the ‘striking fist’ of a future European military force, independent of the United States and independent of NATO.”

Lavrov also warned Putin would exact “massive” revenge for the humiliating destruction of Moscow Oil Refinery which left the city shrouded in apocalyptic smoke.

He said: “After yet another Kyiv terrorist attack….we will now conduct massive group strikes on a regular basis against targets whose condition directly affects Ukraine’s combat readiness.

“This is the task set by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief [Vladimir Putin].”

Dramatic pictures and videos on Thursday showed massive fires raging at the Moscow Oil Refinery, located about 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the Kremlin.

Menawhile, Sergei Karaganov, known as ‘Professor Doomsday’, alleged atomic weapons should be used against the West, not Ukraine. He said: “We might have to, God forbid, launch a nuclear strike against the West.

“I advocate this in order to prevent and end this terrible war that the West has imposed on us, which it is waging on Ukrainian territory, destroying millions of Ukrainians and tens of thousands of Russians.

“Besides all this, the overall international situation is developing in a direction where we are sliding toward a world war.

“We are already in it. It was precisely to restore fear of nuclear weapons that I called for the possibility of a nuclear strike—to restore fear of nuclear weapons and end this war the West is waging against us in Ukraine.”