Former UK prime minister Boris Johnson said that Russian president Vladimir Putin had threatened him with a missile strike before Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February last year. The claim was made by Boris Johnson in a BBC documentary titled ‘Putin vs the West’. The former prime minister also shared other details about Vladimir Putin and what the Russian president calls “special military operation” in Ukraine.
Here are the most chilling revelations made by Boris Johnson on Vladimir Putin:
1. Boris Johnson said that Vladimir Putin threatened him during a very long call in February which coincided with the time when Russia was gathering its troops alongside Ukraine's borders.
2. At that time, Boris Johnson said that world leaders were trying to dissuade Russia from invading Ukraine.
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3. Boris Johnson said, "He threatened me at one point, and he said, 'Boris, I don't want to hurt you but, with a missile, it would only take a minute' or something like that..."
4. “I think from the very relaxed tone that he was taking, the sort of air of detachment that he seemed to have, he was just playing along with my attempts to get him to negotiate,” Boris Johnson said recalling the "most extraordinary call."
{{/usCountry}}4. “I think from the very relaxed tone that he was taking, the sort of air of detachment that he seemed to have, he was just playing along with my attempts to get him to negotiate,” Boris Johnson said recalling the "most extraordinary call."
{{/usCountry}}5. The documentary focuses on Vladimir Putin's talks with world leaders from 2014- Crimea invasion- to 2022- Ukraine invasion.
6. Boris Johnson also said that he warned the Russian president of sanctions in a bid to avoid any conflict.
7. The documentary also revealed that UK defence secretary Ben Wallace met his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoigu. Ben Wallace described it as a "demonstration of bullying or strength, which is: I'm going to lie to you, you know I'm lying and I know you know I'm lying and I'm still going to lie to you."