MOSCOW, August 24. /TASS/. The statement by British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, the frontrunner for the kingdom’s next prime minister, who said she would be ready to use nuclear weapons if needed, could do for a perfect start to a new Austin Powers series, the spokeswoman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, wrote on her Telegram channel on Wednesday.

"This could be a perfect start to a new Austin Powers movie. Now, a female would play the role of the International Man of Mystery," the Russian diplomat remarked ironically.

Earlier, when asked if she could order the use of nuclear weapons as prime minister if a threat is posed to the UK, Truss said she was ready to do that.