MOSCOW, March 18. /TASS/. Imperial ambitions, which the United Kingdom is more often trying to show, don’t have any solid basis, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in an interview with Solovyov Live YouTube channel on Thursday.

"The problem of imperial ambitions has not gone anywhere. There are ambitions, but there is no basis for them. Moreover, unfortunately the basis is rotten," Zakharova said.

According to the diplomat, the UK has been devising new steps in order to regain the status of a leading superpower. However, "decorations are ruined more and more."

On Tuesday, the UK authorities announced their intention to increase nuclear potential to 260 warheads. The recently-published Integrated Review of Security, Defense, Development and Foreign Policy underscores that the UK government makes this step due to "developing range of technological and doctrinal threats" from a number of states, which force London to react by strengthening its defensive capability.

Besides, the review confirmed London’s intent to "renew [its] nuclear deterrent," which will involve replacement of the Trident missile systems on Vanguard-class submarines; besides, the Vanguard-class submarines themselves will be replaced by Dreadnought-class submarines by the early 2030s.