Putin’s top crony Dmitry Medvedev made the comments ahead of a key Nato meeting (Picture: Getty)

One of Vladimir Putin’s closest allies has warned of nuclear war if Russia loses the conflict in Ukraine.

Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev made the outlandish claims amid Kremlin efforts to halt the supply of new arms to Kyiv.

‘Tomorrow at the Ramstein base in [Germany], the great military leaders will discuss new tactics and strategy, as well as deliveries of new heavy weapons and strike systems to Ukraine,’ Medvedev wrote in a post on Telegram.

‘And this is right after the Davos Forum, where underdeveloped [Western] political party goers repeat like a mantra: “To achieve peace, Russia must lose”.’

‘It doesn’t occur to any of the wretches to draw the following elementary conclusion: That the loss of a nuclear power in a conventional war could provoke a nuclear war.

‘Nuclear powers have not lost major conflicts on which their fate depends.

‘And this should be obvious to anyone.

‘Even a Western politician with any trace of intelligence.’

Medvedev claimed losing the war would ‘provoke’ a nuclear response (Picture: AP)

His comments come ahead of a crucial Nato summit which surrounds arming Ukraine with more weapons (Picture: AP)

Such apocalyptic rhetoric is intended to deter the U.S.-led Nato military alliance from getting more involved in the conflict.

Leaders will meet tomorrow in Germany to discuss sending Kyiv more weapons.

But Medvedev’s recognition that Russia might lose on the battlefield marks a rare moment of public doubt from a prominent member of Putin’s inner circle.

Putin has repeatedly cast Russia’s ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine as an existential battle with an aggressive and arrogant West, and has said that Russia will use all available means to protect itself and its people.

Medvedev, deputy head of the Kremlin’s security council, recently threatened jail to Russian arms manufacturer bosses who failed to deliver missiles and tanks on time for the war in Ukraine.

Some analysts see the former premier positioning himself for a fresh run at the presidency if Putin is forced out by ill health.

His anger highlighted official desperation to get more weapons to the frontline as the West increases its battlefield aid to Ukraine, especially with the arrival of tanks from NATO nations.

Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s crucial meeting in Rammstein, UK defence secretary Ben Wallace said the time has arrived for Nato forces to step up support to Ukraine and enable it to finally drive Russian forces out from its territory.

‘In 2023, it is time to turn the momentum that the Ukrainians have achieved in pushing back Russia into gains and making sure Russia understands that the purpose now is to push them back out of Ukraine and to restore Ukraine’s sovereignty, which is their right under international law,’ he said.

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The chilling comments come ahead of a key Nato meeting in Germany this week.