Key Words: Boris Johnson says Vladimir Putin threatened he could kill him in a minute ahead of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

United States

“Boris, I don’t want to hurt you, but with a missile it would only take a minute.”

— Boris Johnson

That’s former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s account of a conversation he had with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the eve of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Johnson did add in a documentary made by the BBC that the quote might not be verbatim. “Or something like that,” he said.

Putin and other Russian officials have not been reluctant to discuss their nuclear capabilities.

On Sunday, the chairman of the Russia’s State Duma said arguments against using weapons of mass destruction in local conflicts are “untenable” because its security and territorial integrity are threatened.

There’s no sign that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is ending, as the U.S. and Germany agreed to share advanced tanks with Ukraine.