Vladimir Putin‘s new ‘red line’ for using nuclear weapons is intended to strike fear in the West and could lead to a ‘very unpleasant surprise’, experts have warned.

The Russian leader expanded his list of scenarios that could provoke Russia into using nukes on Wednesday, including Western leaders allowing Ukraine to use their long-range missiles to strike targets deep inside Russia.

Nikolai Sokov, a former Soviet and Russian diplomat, said the ‘red line’ was intended as a ‘very clear message’: ‘Don’t make a mistake – all these kind of things may mean nuclear war.’ ‘I’m really concerned about all the loose talk,’ he said, with actors in Ukraine dismissing the threats as a bluff.

‘We run head-on into a situation which is completely unfamiliar to us … If you do not factor in the risks, you are likely to have a very unpleasant surprise.’

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