The British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has come under fire from Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, who accused him of deceiving the public and spreading falsehoods about Russia's actions on several fronts.

At the heart of the dispute are Sunak's recent remarks at a meeting of the Policy Exchange think tank, where he warned Western nations about the potential consequences of Russia's actions in Ukraine.

Sunak claimed that Russia's maneuvers in Ukraine could lead to a dangerous nuclear escalation and accused Moscow of weaponizing its energy resources to exert control over the West.

Zakharova dismissed Sunak's claims as "desperate lies" and refuted the accusations of nuclear escalation, pointing out that it was Ukraine, not Russia, who engaged in provocative actions near the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant.

"Sunak’s lies are so desperate that one could even feel sorry for him," Zakharova said.

She further contested Sunak's assertions about gas supplies, noting that Russia had not halted its deliveries, contrary to the Prime Minister's claims.

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Regarding the energy crisis, Zakharova clarified that Russia had continued gas supplies uninterrupted, placing the blame instead on the US and NATO countries for banning Russian energy imports and pressuring the EU to follow suit.

She mentionned the political pressure from Washington as a factor in the closure of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, despite one conduit remaining operational.

Zakharova also addressed Sunak's accusations of Russia weaponizing immigration, flipping the narrative by attributing the refugee crisis to Western interventions in Libya, the Middle East, and Ukraine.

She argued that Western actions had destabilized these regions, leading to conflicts and waves of refugees.

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On May 6, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that the General Staff of the Russian armed forces had commenced preparations for exercises involving missile units of the Southern Military District, aviation, and naval forces.

According to the ministry, these exercises are focused on practicing various activities related to the preparation and deployment of non-strategic nuclear weapons.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov associated these drills with recent remarks made by certain Western officials regarding the potential deployment of NATO troops to Ukraine.