A Vladimir Putin general claimed today that World War 3 has already started following Israel’s strikes on Iranian soil on Thursday night. Maj-Gen Apti Alaudinov, 51, urged the Kremlin to carry out mass mobilisation of up to one million fresh troops.

In a message published on the social media platform Telegram on Friday, the deputy chief of the Russian armed forces' main military-political directorate wrote: "We need to declare mobilisation." Alaudinov, who is a prominent propagandist and the commander of the Chechnya-based Akhmat special forces, added: "We need to prepare at least half a million people in advance. But realistically one million people. We need to call them up and start preparing them for the fact that the war has already begun, which we already know is happening - World War 3. But it has already taken on a new turn and a new momentum.

"And so that no one dares to play with us the way they played with all the other countries, and now with Iran.

"Believe me, we all need to unite, unite, unite at all levels."

Alaudinov has been closely involved with Russia’s effort to win back territory controlled by Ukraine in Kursk, the region partially captured by Kyiv's troops in a daring advance in August last year.

He is also seen as a probable successor to pro-Putin Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov.

Earlier today, Alaudinov reposted a message from Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, demanding “severe retribution” against Israel.

This comes hours after Israel carried out strikes against Iran overnight, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying the military had targeted Tehran's attempts to build a nuclear bomb.

In the wake of the strikes, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called on both Israel and Iran to show restraint, while Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated the Middle East was facing a "moment of grave peril" amid fears of an all-out war.