Russia could end the war in Ukraine with a nuclear strike that turns the country into a "radiation zone", an ally of Vladimir Putin has chillingly warned. Russian oligarch Konstantin Malofeyev warned that the world is "on the brink of nuclear war".

Konstantin Malofeyev said that if Russia fired a nuclear weapon, the resulting radiation zone would end the Russia-Ukraine war.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Ukraine for the first time in more than two years Monday and vowed to keep supporting Kyiv in the war, just weeks after he was rebuked by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for having a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

By Pavel Polityuk and Tom Balmforth KYIV (Reuters) -German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced new military aid for Ukraine during a rare visit on Monday that he said sent a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin that Berlin would stand by Kyiv for as long as needed in the war.

The visit Monday comes just weeks after he was criticized by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for having a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.