Putin says potential strikes on British facilities remain a military secret

Russian President Vladimir Putin was asked at a conference in Kyrgyzstan whether Britain might face attacks on its defence sites. He responded that the matter is a “military secret” and said any British military facilities operating in Ukraine are legitimate Russian targets.

The comments follow recent Russian warnings after UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham provided Ukraine with designs for British-made Storm Shadow missiles. Moscow has threatened a “semi-military” response, citing Britain’s involvement in the war in Ukraine.

Former British Army intelligence officer Colonel Philip Ingram told LBC that Russian threats to defence firms are not new, citing past cyber attacks and interference with undersea cables. He said Russia is likely to expand “grey-zone” actions—activities below the threshold that would trigger NATO’s collective defence response—against countries supplying Kyiv with weapons.

"We've seen cyber attacks from the Russians against targets in the UK, and we have seen the Russians actively targeting our undersea cables," Ingram said.

"The reality is they are carrying out these sorts of attacks," he added, warning that increased pressure on Russia in Ukraine could lead to more covert operations against its supporters.