One of Vladimir Putin’s top propagandists issued a horrifying warning to the West that Russia could “erase” Europe “off the face of the Earth”. TV presenter and broadcaster Vladimir Solovyov issued the shocking message during his radio show, Full Contact. He said: “Europe has declared a war of destruction against us.

“This war can only be won by realising the risks, by simply understanding the risks, and by carrying out a decisive, devastating strike against Europe. We can’t fight against Europe with conventional weapons. Europe needs to understand that we see their plans, we understand their plans, and therefore we will be forced to erase them off the face of the Earth with nuclear weapons.”

Solovyov also said Iran is “behaving the right way” amid the war with the US and Israel. He said: “Can we stop being kind and erase the heck out of everything? ‘Iran is behaving incorrectly’, Trump says. Iran is behaving the right way.”

He said: “If we want to win this war, we must understand the seriousness of threats. The supreme [leader of Iran] has no doubts. Those who have to prepare, develop and bring things for approval wherever needed – what about them?

“What are they thinking about? Maybe not now, maybe six months or one year from now, do they want to see Ukraine’s ballistics strike Moscow? Or will we finally start to act, here and now? Harshly!”

He raged: “Listen, are you a Communist or not? Stop fearing war! Are you a Communist or not? The first step is to strike these dirtbags and not hide behind anyone’s back.

“When I was joining the ranks of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, I was taught to speak openly and honestly. If this is our enemy, we destroy him.”