Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened to kill Boris Johnson with a missile strike ahead of an invasion of Ukraine, Britain’s former prime minister has claimed.

The then British prime minister said the Russian leader told him it would “only take a minute” during a lengthy phone call in February 2022.

He claimed the threat was made after he warned Putin that war would be an “utter disaster” and urged him to abandon his attack.

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Details of the exchange were revealed in the BBC documentary Putin vs the West, which examines the lead-up to Russia’s February 24 invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Johnson said he warned President Putin that an invasion would result in unprecedented Western sanctions and more NATO troops on Russia’s borders.

He also told the Russian leader Ukraine would not join NATO “for the foreseeable future” in the hope that Putin would reverse military action.

“He threatened me at one point and said, ‘Boris, I don’t want to hurt you but, with a missile, it would only take a minute’ or something like that. Cheers,” Mr Johnson said.

“But I think from the very relaxed tone he was taking, the kind of detachment he seemed to have, he was just playing along with my attempts to get him to negotiate.”

It is unclear whether the Russian leader made the remarks as a legitimate threat.

The emergency call came after Johnson visited Kyiv in February to reassure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that he would stand by his country if Russia went to war.

Johnson, who left office in September, returned to Ukraine on Sunday to reiterate his public support for the nation amid the ongoing conflict.

The Ukrainian president invited the former British prime minister to tour several towns on the outskirts of Kyiv.

“I welcome Boris Johnson, a true friend of Ukraine, to Kyiv. Boris thanks for your support!” Mr. Zelensky posted on Telegram.

The couple visited Bucha and Borodyanka, areas devastated by Russian forces in March last year.

Mr Johnson said it was a “privilege” to visit the war-torn country, pledging the UK would stand by Ukraine “for as long as it takes”.

“The suffering of the Ukrainian people has continued for too long,” he said.

“The only way to end this war is for Ukraine to win – and win as quickly as possible… The sooner Putin fails, the better for Ukraine and the whole world.”