Russia has staged nuclear drills off the north of Britain, as one of Vladimir Putin's leading lieutenants advocates for the use of atomic weapons. Tu-160 supersonic strategic bombers conducted a 16-hour mission over the neutral waters of the Barents and Norwegian Seas. The Norwegian Sea lies north of Shetland, the UK's most northerly island grouping, between Norway and Iceland. The Russian nuclear bombers were escorted by a MiG-31 supersonic interceptor aircraft and the Tu-160s practised in-flight refuelling, the defence ministry in Moscow revealed early today. The Norwegian Air Force was involved in intercepting and tracking the Putin aircraft. 

The Tupolev Tu-160 - Nato reporting name 'Blackjack' - is the largest and heaviest combat aircraft ever to enter operational service. It can carry up to 45 tonnes of weapons internally, including both nuclear and conventional long-range cruise missiles. It came as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov advocated for the use of nuclear weapons at a closed meeting of the Russian Council on Foreign and Defence Policy, according to an eyewitness. Political analyst Andrey Kolesnikov said that when asked whether Russia should use nuclear weapons, Lavrov said: 'Well, I would still use them.'

Lavrov said earlier this month that nuclear war was possible if the West refused to kowtow to Putin's demands for ending the war in Ukraine. 'This state of affairs poses serious threats to global security,' he said. 'A direct confrontation between Nato and Russia could rapidly escalate into an exchange of nuclear strikes, with catastrophic consequences,' he said. Overnight, Ukraine again pounded Russian positions in and around annexed Crimea, with oil terminals and military facilities ablaze. A resurgent Kyiv believes it is weakening the Russian grip on the Black Sea peninsula, where the summer tourist season has been virtually cancelled, with chronic petrol and diesel shortages and regular blackouts. Russia was forced to close the £3billion Crimean Bridge amid fears of a strike on the crossing.

It also comes as US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he could refuse to help Nato countries as payback for the lack of support from member nations for the US military operation in Iran. 'We spent all of this money. And then when we want to maybe have help on small stuff... They say no we would rather not help,' Trump said during a press conference in the Oval Office. 'Stupid thing to say, because we can say that to them if we want, and we might,' he added. Despite strained relations with the alliance, Trump is set to attend the Nato summit in Ankara, Turkey, next month.