A top Russian diplomat has issued a warning to NATO, saying they are dealing with a nuclear power and should not threaten Moscow

It follows previous warnings from President Putin’s Chief Spokesperson who says Russia would consider using nuclear weapons against an “existential threat.”

“If Russia is provokes by NATO, if Russia is attacked by Ukraine, I don’t know, we are a nuclear power, why not” Dmitry Polyanskiy says.

The diplomat was then asked by the reporter interviewing him, whether this was an appropriate thing to say.

“I don’t think it’s the right thing to be saying but it’s not the right thing to threaten Russia and try to interfere,” Mr Polyanskiy says.

“When you’re dealing with a nuclear power, of course you have to calculate all the possible outcomes of your behaviour.”

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has sent out a powerful message on Wednesday night.

He says the war is not just a war against Ukraine but a war against freedom.

“This is only the beginning for Russia on the Ukrainian land, Russia is trying to defeat the freedom of all people in Europe and people of the world,” Mr Zelensky says.

“It’s trying to show that only crude and cruel force matters.”