Vladimir Putin has hired an academic who urged him to attack Europe with nuclear weapons and leave the planet in “radioactive ruins.”
Sergei Karaganov, 71, will now work in the Kremlin to study ways to “deter the West,” according to reports.
Karaganov is a prominent supporter of Putin's war Ukraineand has defended Putin's efforts to free the world from the “Western yoke.”
He wrote that in an essay of 2000 words Putin should attack Europe with nuclear weapons to pre-emptively stop a global war, leaving the planet in 'radioactive ruins'.
Karaganov advocated this approach despite reportedly owning properties in Venice and Berlin.
He added that only a “madman” in the US would “sacrifice Boston for Poznan” – one of Poland's largest cities.
READ MORE: Putin orders Russia to 'conduct tactical nuclear exercises' as fears of WWIII explode
The academic added: “Both the US and Europe understand this very well, even if they prefer not to think about it.”
Karaganov also argued that such an attack would receive China's support because Beijing “would rejoice in its heart and soul that a powerful blow has been dealt to the reputation and position of the United States.
“Morally, this is a terrible choice because we will use God's weapon, dooming ourselves to serious spiritual losses. But if we don't do this, not alone Russia may die, but most likely all human civilization will cease to exist.”
Meduza News, an anti-Putin news outlet, reported that Karaganov has been ordered to conduct eight investigations by the Russian government.
Topics include “the theory and practice of nuclear deterrence in current conditions in relation to Russian politics” and “a dialogue on the development of a new concept of nuclear deterrence in the Quadrilateral Russia-China-India-Pakistan format.”
Keir Giles, a senior fellow at Chatham House, told The Times that Karaganov was one of the Kremlin's mouthpieces for “nuclear willy-waving.”
On Monday, Putin ordered exercises to simulate the use of tactical nuclear weapons In response to “provocative statements and threats made by certain Western officials regarding the Russian Federation,” the Moscow Ministry of Defense said.
The Kremlin appeared to refer to comments by French President Emmanuel Macron and British Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron.
Macron did not rule out sending troops Ukraine while Lord Cameron said Kiev could use British long-range weapons to attack Russian territory.