Vladimir Putin could target Africa and the Middle East to get “payback” from Europe and the US for their support of Ukraine.

The war in Ukraine is reaching new heights of hostility this week after the US and UK allowed Kyiv to fire American and British missiles at Russian territory.

Nicholas Drummond, a security and defence expert, tells the Daily Express that Africa could be a way for Putin to cause a “nuisance” for Western allies.

He said: “Putin wants payback for Europe helping Ukraine, so he will step up activities in the grey zone too. He will also target Africa and the Middle East for natural resources and to be a nuisance.

“Putin is a dangerous guy, a very dangerous guy and he wants Russia to be a superpower again.”

Mr Drummond also warned that four European countries are a risk of Russian invasion of Putin succeeds in Ukraine.

He continued: “I don’t think he will go for the Baltic states, but he could do. There are NATO troops in the Baltics so that would immediately spark an Article 5 event. This would dramatically escalate things.

“Moldova, he might try something there. He may also decide to do something in Africa, seizing territory there or something like that.”

Putin has tried to win over the leaders of Africa in recent years.

Earlier this month, he invited African leaders to a summit in Sochi, where he told them that Africa has Russia‘s “total support”

Many African leaders have cut off ties with the West in order to build relations with Moscow.

Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré said Russia is a better partner to have than the West.

Mali’s Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop echoed this, praising Russia as “sincere” while branding the West’s relationship with Africa as “neo-colonial.”

He added: “Russian companies are working in all these areas with the Malian government and [private] partners in Mali to provide solutions to the challenges facing the Malian people. The two parties have agreed to step up the pace to ensure rapid results.”

The Russian Wagner Group – a private military group linked to the Kremlin – has built up a big presence in Mali.