‘London will be turned to dust’: Putin’s TV propagandist rants about Ukraine using British missiles

Vladimir Putin‘s top TV propagandist has called for London to be ‘turned to dust’ after reports said Ukraine was ‘prepared’ to use British missiles to strike Crimea.

The latest tirade against the UK was featured on a nightly show on channel Russia 1, hosted by chief propagandist Vladimir Solovyov.

One of Solovyov’s ‘analysts’ supposedly quoted from a British media report regarding the possibility of the British Government supplying Kyiv with Harpoon anti-ship missiles or surface-to-air Storm Shadow missiles.

‘The British press is saying “We’ll give them hell!”‘ Solovyov’s analysts apparently said. ‘Them is us [Russia]’ he said. 

Ukraine could use such weaponry to strike deep inside Russian-occupied Crimea, which would potentially be a major escalation in the conflict. 

Vladimir Putin’s top TV propagandist Vladimir Solovyov (pictured) has called for London to be ‘turned to dust’ after Ukraine hinted that it could use British missiles to strike targets in Crimea

The latest verbal tirade against the United Kingdom was featured on a nightly show on channel Russia 1, hosted by chief propagandist Vladimir Solovyov (top-right). He is typically joined by a variety of ‘experts’ and ‘analysts’ who parrot pro-war Russian propaganda

‘They all regard this as complete fine. “Russians can and need to be killed!” They’re saying that constantly,’ he claimed, without noting that Solovyov’s television shows have regularly called for the bombing of the UK and Ukraine’s other Western allies.

‘That’s the problem with Russians. They won’t give up as easily as that,’ Solovyov chimed in. The camera cut to the host of the show.

‘London will turn to dust! To dust!’ he said staring wide-eyed directly down the camera while bizarrely raising his arm and open hand out in front of him like an evil sorcerer.

‘Or should I say it in English,’ he asks his guests. ‘Burn in hell,’ he says in English. ‘That’s better, yeah? Good,’ he asks in Russian, before saying ‘Flames!’ in English.

It comes after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak held talks with Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelensky about the UK’s ability to provide long-range missiles to Kyiv, which it currently does not have.

The Prime Minister said these were ‘going to make a big difference’ in Ukraine’s fightback against Russia’s invasion.

Discussions are now said to be under way over whether they should include Harpoon missiles (which can reach up to 150 miles) or Storm Shadow missiles (350 miles).

Such capabilities would allow Ukraine to strike deep behind enemy lines, and would be a blow to Moscow’s hopes of launching a new assault to seize the country.

Speaking on Thursday, Mr Zelensky called on modern weapons to be supplied quickly to his forces, saying that Russia’s new spring offensive had already begun.

He also ruled out giving up any Ukrainian land as part of any peace deal with Russia.

‘Russian attacks are already happening from several directions,’ he told the BBC. 

‘Of course, modern weapons speed up peace. Weapons are the only language Russia understands,’ he said. 

Nato allies – including the UK, Germany and the US – recently promised to send main battle tanks to Ukraine.

While these will help in its defence against the coming offensive, Kyiv is also calling for long-range missiles and fighter jets to increase its firepower.

Speaking in his nightly address, Ukraine’s leader said his priority was to hold off Russian attacks and get ready for an eventual Ukrainian counter-offensive.

‘Holding the situation at the front and preparing for any enemy steps of escalation – that is the priority for the near future,’ he said. 

See also 

Pictured: A destroyed Russian tank is seen near the village of Davydiv Brid, Kherson

Four Russian rockets launched against Ukraine from Russia are seen at dawn in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on February 16

This is not the first time Solovyov has called on London to be bombed, having done so as recently as last weekend.

‘Can’t we finally strike at London? What is the problem?’ the host asked viewers of his Solovyov Live show.

‘No, no, no – only at military targets,’ he continued, as if reacting to someone taking issue with his suggestion. ‘Well, at the Parliament too,’ he added.

‘Well, they [Britain] are going to give planes [to Ukraine] to strike deep into Russia’s territory,’ he added, as if to justify striking London.

Solovyov went on to take issue with the fact that Britain – along with almost all members of the UN – recognises Crimea as being part of Ukraine not Russia.

After an internationally unrecognised referendum held during the occupation of Crimea suggested the peninsular supported being part of Russia, the Russian-backed Crimean parliament declared independence from Ukraine.

Russia then illegally annexed the territory in 2014. The move was widely condemned by the international community at the time.

Solovyov said: ‘At the same time, they [Britain] cunningly say: “No, well, we just don’t recognise Crimea as Russia.” How about Kaliningrad?’ he asked rhetorically.

‘What do they want to tell us? That is, you will now determine what Russia is for you? Not the people living in Russia will determine it, not a referendum, not a vote, but you will determine what Russia is for us? 

‘In that case, we will not recognise at all – for us there is not England at all. No France. No Germany.

‘Instead, there are Nazi states united by hatred for everything Russian,’ he said, parroting false claims by the Kremlin that Ukraine and its Western allies are run by Nazi governments. 

‘And so let’s get serious. Do they think there are no red lines?

‘OK. Well let’s show them that there are no more red lines,’ he demanded.

Harpoon

The Harpoon is an anti-ship surface-to-surface missile that can strike ships at ranges of up to 80 miles away.

Length: 12ft 

Range: 150 miles 

Speed: 537mph

Storm Shadow

The Storm Shadow, also known as SCALP, is an air-to-ground missile that can hit fixed or stationary targets.

Length: 16ft 9in 

Range: 350 miles 

Speed:  600mph 

The latest diatribe on Russian television came after British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak held talks with Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelensky about the UK’s ability to provide long-range missiles to Kyiv. Pictured: Sunak hosts Zelensky at Downing Street on February 8

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky addresses British MPs in Westminster Hall, inside the Palace of Westminster on February 8

‘Let’s strike! So that the first would ring. So that the Nazi b******* from [Emmanuel] Macron to [German chancellor Olaf] Scholz, from [German defence minister Boris] Pistorius to Rishi Sunak, would have their testicles tightened up and falling out of their ears from fear.

‘Maybe they will begin to understand something,’ he said, ending the monologue.

Hosts on Russia 1 have made numerous threats against Ukraine’s western allies, with a particular interest in Britain and London.

Last year, one of the channel’s so-called ‘experts’ said that Russia should detonate a nuclear bomb off the coast of the UK, causing a nuclear tsunami.