Former UK PM Boris Johnson claims Vladimir Putin said he could hit him with missile

Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson mentioned President Vladimir Putin didn’t appear critical about avoiding warfare within the days earlier than Russia invaded Ukraine - and at one level instructed the British chief it could be simple to kill him with a missile.

The Kremlin denied Putin made any such risk.

In a documentary launched Monday, Johnson says he referred to as Putin in February final 12 months and tried to dissuade him from warfare, telling him Ukraine wouldn't be becoming a member of NATO within the foreseeable future.

He additionally warned an invasion would convey “huge” Western sanctions.

“From the very relaxed tone that he was taking, the type of air of detachment that he appeared to have, he was simply taking part in together with my makes an attempt to get him to barter,” Johnson mentioned within the BBC collection 'Putin vs the West'.

Johnson mentioned that Putin “threatened me at one level and mentioned, ‘Boris, I don’t wish to damage you, however with a missile, it could solely take a minute’, or one thing like that.”

The three-part collection produced by veteran documentary-maker Norma Percy recounts how Western leaders handled Russia’s president within the years main as much as the invasion on 24 February 2022.

Percy mentioned Monday that she didn't assume Putin was making a direct risk however “it was a reminder that he might do it, and (Johnson) ought to keep in mind that when he's coping with him”.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned his account was unfaithful “or, extra exactly, it was a lie”. Peskov mentioned Johnson might have intentionally lied or failed to know what Putin was telling him.

“There have been no threats with missiles,” Peskov mentioned on a convention name with reporters. 

"Whereas speaking about safety challenges to Russia, President Putin mentioned that if Ukraine joins NATO the potential deployment of US or different NATO missiles close to our borders would imply that any such missile might attain Moscow in minutes.”

Johnson was one of the outstanding worldwide allies of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy till he was compelled out of workplace in mid-2022 by quite a few scandals.

For extra watch Euronews' report within the video above.