Russia has threatened to obliterate the UK and turn it into a nuclear wasteland, as relations between London and Moscow continue to nose-dive. Sir Keir Starmer has rapidly turned into a “persona non grata” for the Kremlin, who once again unleashed their attack dogs on the unfortunate Prime Minister.

The Labour Government appears to have poked the Russian bear and infuriated the Kremlin with its unconditional support for Ukraine. That support was once again on display for all to see last week at a meeting of around 30 world leaders in London. At a hastily arranged summit of the “coalition of the willing”, the British Prime Minister took the lead and urged its members to provide Kyiv with long-range missiles.

He also called on Western states to do more to take Russian oil and gas off international markets and to allow Ukraine to use frozen Kremlin assets to fund its defence.

The Prime Minister’s unwavering support for Volodymyr Zelensky and his latest call to arms clearly struck a raw nerve in the Kremlin, which appears to be wobbling under the pressure of new US sanctions imposed on its major oil companies.

In a discussion show on Russian state TV, propagandist-in-chief and loyal Kremlin stooge Vladimir Solovyov hosted a number of bot panellists, including the so-called military expert Andrey Klintsevich. The pair raised the spectre of Russia’s fabled nuclear mega weapon – the Poseidon – as they sought to turn the screws on London.

Taking his cue, Klintsevich said: “Vladimir Rudolfovich, it’s also important to add that the same type of engine is being planned for Poseidon.”

Solovyov nodded his head, adding: “A new class of engine that opens up unique possibilities in different fields, for different uses.”

Klintsevich seized on the opening to deliver his killer lines, saying: “For America, Britain and some European countries, this isn’t simply a risk; they don’t know what to do about it.

“The entire system of monitoring is out the window. This is it, Britain might get a tsunami, and they’ll never figure out where it came from.”

Solovyov could not resist one last dig at the UK’s expense, as he replied: “A radioactive wave will start washing away cities. What can you do?”

The Status-6 Oceanic Multipurpose System, known as Poseidon, is a Russian autonomous nuclear-powered underwater drone designed as a strategic retaliatory weapon capable of delivering a massive nuclear warhead to coastal targets.

The Kremlin claims it can generate a 500-metre-high radioactive tsunami upon detonation, potentially devastating entire coastal cities and rendering them uninhabitable for decades.