Putin warns on potential strikes against UK military sites
Vladimir Putin has indicated that it remains a “military secret” whether Russia is considering strikes on British military sites, issuing a stark warning as tensions escalate over the UK’s support for Ukraine, reports BritPanorama.
Last month, the UK government agreed to provide Ukraine with blueprints for the Scalp missile, a variant of the British Storm Shadow missile, enabling Ukraine to strike targets deeper within Russia. This decision has elicited strong reactions from Moscow.
In response to inquiries about Russia’s potential retaliation, Putin stated, “That’s a secret, a military secret.” He further asserted that all military facilities in Ukraine are legitimate targets, regardless of their association with British forces.
The remarks from Putin follow Russia’s assertion that the UK is “playing with fire” after the approval by UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham to share classified cruise missile technology with Ukraine.
During a visit to Kyiv, Burnham posed the question, “Who started the fire?” invoking Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. This trip marked his first foreign visit as prime minister, coinciding with the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence from Soviet rule.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reacted to the UK’s military support, claiming that the direct involvement of British missile forces constitutes “participation in the war, with all the ensuing consequences.”
In his speech outside Kyiv’s St Sophia Cathedral, Burnham vowed to continue supporting Ukraine, undeterred by Russian threats: “Despite Russia’s outrageous threats to my country, we will continue our support for Ukraine.”
He highlighted the “sheer strength” of the Ukrainian people and emphasized that Ukraine serves as “Europe’s protector,” asserting the importance of their struggle for European security.
Burnham compared Ukraine’s fight against Russia to the UK’s historical struggle against Nazi Germany, stating, “My nation kept the flame of European freedom alive in the 20th century, you hold that flame in the 21st.”
Amid rising military threats from Moscow, Defence Secretary John Healey faces pressure to increase Britain’s defence budget in light of escalating Russian aggression. Healey has committed to increasing defence spending to 3 percent of GDP, but details about funding this increase remain unclear.
On Tuesday, Healey outlined new measures aimed at curbing Russia’s evasion of economic sanctions. He called for international cooperation to dismantle financial networks that support Russia’s military actions in Ukraine.
The primary focus of these efforts targets the “A7 network,” identified by the Foreign Office as facilitating sanctions evasion and providing financial support for the war. The National Crime Agency has issued an alert regarding A7 to assist the private sector in tackling sanctions evasion.
Moreover, Healey announced an increase in penalties for sanctions breaches, raising the maximum fine from 50 percent to 100 percent of the value of the infraction. “We are ramping up the economic pressure on Putin and leaving those aiding his illegal war with nowhere to hide,” he stated.
“The UK and our allies must step up our international cooperation to expose sanctions evasion and disrupt the financial networks fueling Russia’s aggression,” Healey added, reaffirming the UK’s unwavering commitment to supporting Ukraine as they pursue a just and lasting peace.
