Dominic Raab has dismissed fears that Vladimir Putin will use nuclear weapons in the Ukraine crisis, calling his threats xe2x80x9crhetoric and brinkmanshipxe2x80x9d.

The Russian president alarmed the world by putting his arsenal on high alert xe2x80x93 and, overnight, the Kremlin is reported to have claimed that Ukraine is developing a dirty nuclear bomb.

But, asked if that suggested Moscow is seeking an excuse to use battlefield nuclear weapons, Mr Raab replied: xe2x80x9cI think it is rhetoric and brinkmanship.xe2x80x9d

The Russian president had xe2x80x9ca track record of misinformation and propagandaxe2x80x9d, the deputy prime minister said.

The comments came as Mr Raab also rejected calls for the UK to make a more generous offer to some of the one million-plus refugees fleeing the conflict as xe2x80x9cthe wrong thing to doxe2x80x9d.

The UK has refused to waive visa rules xe2x80x93 in stark contrast to the EU, which has offered asylum to all Ukrainians crossing its borders for three years.

Mr Raab claimed that extending help beyond family reunions and a sponsorship scheme which has yet to start would mean removing xe2x80x9csecurity checks on those coming from a war zonexe2x80x9d,

xe2x80x9cWe have got to look at our security,xe2x80x9d he told Sky Newsxe2x80x99 Trevor Phillips on Sunday programme xe2x80x93 claiming the public opposed greater generosity.

xe2x80x9cPublic support has been incredible, very moving, overwhelming. I think you would start to see that fray,xe2x80x9d Mr Raab said.

Fiona Hill, a former member of the US National Security Council, is among Russia experts who have warned that Putin is willing to use nuclear weapons.

xe2x80x9cEvery time you think, xe2x80x98No, he wouldnxe2x80x99t, would he?xe2x80x99. Well, yes, he would,xe2x80x9d she said recently.

But Mr Raab brushed fears that an xe2x80x9cisolated Kremlinxe2x80x9d would reach for its most deadly weapons, saying: xe2x80x9cNo, I think the debate and rhetoric is just that.xe2x80x9d

The justice secretary again ruled out imposing a no-fly zone xe2x80x93 despite the pleas of Ukrainexe2x80x99s president xe2x80x93 which would lead to a xe2x80x9cmassive escalationxe2x80x9d and would fuel Russiaxe2x80x99s claims of a war against the West.

xe2x80x9cWexe2x80x99re not going to get ourselves into a direct military conflict with Putin because that would be a massive escalation, but also that feeds Putinxe2x80x99s narrative,xe2x80x9d Mr Raab said.

xe2x80x9cPutin wants to say that hexe2x80x99s actually in a struggle with the west xe2x80x93 hexe2x80x99s not.xe2x80x9d No-fly zones are xe2x80x9cvery difficult, very challengingxe2x80x9d, he added.

Mr Raab also dismissed Putinxe2x80x99s claim that the sanctions levelled against him and Russia are a declaration of war, calling them xe2x80x9cboth legally justified but also proportionate.xe2x80x9d

He warned Russian commanders and Putinxe2x80x99s close associates that they risk being prosecuted for war crimes at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

xe2x80x9cWhat they do now, whether they give or whether they follow illegal orders to commit war crimes, they will be held to account for it xe2x80x93 and they need to know that,xe2x80x9d Mr Raab said.