A former Royal Air Force chief has warned a nuclear war is “no longer unthinkable” as Russia wages an escalating assault on Ukraine.

Air Marshall Edward Stringer, a retired officer, said it was “terrifying” to think a conflict involving the use of nuclear weapons could only be a “few steps” away.

“It is no longer unthinkable. It will clearly be weighing on the minds of those making difficult calculations at the moment,” the former head of RAF intelligence told LBC radio station on Tuesday.

Asked whether the use of nuclear weapons could be possible, Air Marshall Stringer said: “It is in realms of possibility. And that is what people have to get their heads around.”

He suggested this could have been why there was reluctance from the international community for a no-fly zone despite repeated pleas from Ukraine.

“Nato is not constructed to go on to the offensive. If it did, it would be taking on another nuclear power: Russia. Russian nuclear doctrine has within it the use of nuclear weapons,” ” Air Marshall Stringer said.

“That is only a few steps to get from where we are now to a confrontation that could see the use of nuclear weapons - which is I think a terrifying prospect for anybody sensible.”

Vladimir Putin put Russia’s strategic nuclear deterrent forces on high alert last month, dramatically ratcheting up the tensions in his stand-off with the West over his invasion of Ukraine.

Michael Gove, the British cabinet minister, has said nuclear weapons were a real concern for the UK government amid the war in Ukraine.

But he refused to get pulled into the level of threat during an interview at the weekend, saying: “I hope you’ll excuse my caution when we’re talking about such momentous and potentially terrifying escalation.”

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