Russia ex-president invokes nuclear war if Moscow punished by ICC - FRANCE24

Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev invoked Wednesday the possibility of nuclear war if the International Criminal Court (ICC) moves to punish Moscow for alleged crimes in Ukraine.

"The idea to punish a country that has the largest nuclear arsenal is absurd in and of itself," Medvedev, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, said on messaging app Telegram.  

"And potentially creates a threat to the existence of mankind."

Medvedev, who was Putin's stand-in president between 2008 and 2012, is now deputy head of the Security Council.