Britain has been branded a “nation of freaks and degenerates” and threatened with annihilation during yet another poisonous diatribe by one of Vladimir Putin’s cronies in a Russian state TV broadcast choreographed by the Kremlin. The latest unhinged outburst on Vladimir Solovyov’s nightly show, broadcast on Kremlin-controlled Rossiya-1, featured a panel of pro-war commentators accusing the UK of waging a proxy war against Russia and calling for nuclear retaliation.
The caustic comments came despite Mr Putin’s announcement of a three-day unilateral ceasefire in Ukraine beginning on Friday to coincide with Orthodox Easter. Igor Markov, a former Ukrainian MP and hardline Putin supporter, said: “Don’t we understand that Britain is waging a war against us? Ukraine is a proxy. Britain is waging all these drones… How long can we tolerate this?”
He added: “Can’t we find some former British colony that would suddenly want to take revenge for centuries or years of humiliation, that would suddenly be given hypersonic missiles and drones? And start burning British ports, British ships… submarines.
“Until they begin to feel on their own skin the evil that they bring, they will not calm down.”
He went on to make a series of bizarre remarks about the British public based on his unproven claims to have visited the UK.
He said: “I, as a simple citizen, saw so many ugly people, a degenerating nation. If a pretty woman walks past, she is either Slavic or Italian.
“What a nation of freaks, degenerates!
“So vile, cynical. And skilled in their vileness. What a nightmare…
“Why have the British been pestering us for centuries?”
Solovyoy is one of Mr Putin’s most prominent media allies and a frequent voice in nuclear sabre-rattling against the West.
He followed up Markov’s remarks with an apparent ultimatum to the British people, citing Russia’s nuclear-armed Poseidon underwater drone.
He said: “I have friends in Britain – wonderful people, beautiful by the way.
“You just need to tell them: ‘Guys, you have 24 hours, either learn to breathe underwater… or leave Britain.’”
The Poseidon drone, part of Mr Putin’s arsenal of so-called “superweapons”, is designed to trigger a massive underwater explosion capable of generating a radioactive tsunami and devastating coastal populations.
Solovyov’s latest comments are consistent with his previous televised statements. In March, he said Russia should “turn London to dust” before the UK could act first. On other occasions, he has accused Britain of plotting the destruction of Russia and warned of “total retaliation.”
Despite the ceasefire announcement, the tone of the broadcast was anything but peaceful. Military commentator Andrei Klintsevich told viewers Mr Putin would make key decisions about the war on May 10 or 11 , shortly after the Red Square Victory Day parade.
Solovyov issued further threats against Ukraine’s two largest cities.
He said: “Everything is going towards this anyway. There will be no Lviv or Kyiv – these cities will not exist. We will rebuild them later.
“Therefore, I strongly advise the residents of these cities to leave urgently now.
“Leave the employees of the military recruitment centres, local authorities, SBU, military facilities there…
“And civilians urgently need to leave these cities.
“Take everything you have and go to Poland, well, anywhere.
“If there are too many of you, they won’t be able to block the border. You’ll break the border.”
Russia’s annual Victory Day event, held on May 9, commemorates the Soviet defeat of Nazi Germany in the World War 2. However, the military parade has increasingly become a platform for signalling threats and warning the West.