EXCLUSIVE: British defence expert reveals Russia’s most likely ways to attack the UK.
Vladimir Putin (Image: Getty)
A defence expert has revealed three ways in which Russia could attack the UK. Professor Michael Clarke, a former Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) director and defence analyst at Sky News, said Britain could soon find itself confronting Vladimir Putin’s Russia at sea, in the skies or through a devastating cyberattack as the war in Ukraine continues to escalate.
The comment comes as Russian elites escalate their threats against the UK amid Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s unwavering support for Ukraine. Meanwhile, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has warned of “accidental” Russian strikes against Ukraine’s allies in autumn and winter, part of Russia‘s hybrid war strategy with the West.
Answering the question of how these threats could materialise in the UK, Professor Clarke told the Express: “The prospect of a militarised confrontation is, in my view, most likely at sea. We might intercept a shadow fleet tanker, and the Russians would retaliate by seizing British ships somewhere else in the world, maybe in Asia, British-registered ships.”
He added that a confrontation could take place in British waters if the UK attempted to stop a shadow fleet tanker and Russia responded by deploying a frigate in support, warning that such a situation would be militarily difficult to manage.
The second most likely military confrontation is shooting down Russian drones, “or even Russian aircraft that are in our airspace,” the professor said. Earlier this month, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk told journalists that Russia’s plan includes hybrid drone and missile strikes against countries supporting Ukraine. He added that this intelligence information is now deemed “very consistent and, unfortunately, convincing.”
British forces intercepted an alleged Russian shadow fleet vessel for the first time in June this year (Image: MOD)
A third likely and “very serious” threat is a cyberattack, Prof Clarke said.
He explained: “In 2022, the British government was dealing with about 50 or 60 serious cyber attacks a year, very few of which worked.
“And now, they were dealing with five times that number, between 250 and 300 serious cyber attacks. The sort of cyber attacks that brought Jaguar Land Rover to a halt for a couple of months that year.
“Or it could be something which attacks the national grid, which creates lots of power outages in different parts of the country. We don’t know until it happens. But sooner or later, some of those attacks will work.”
He concluded by outlining a fourth, much less likely scenario: the UK becoming involved in a direct ground confrontation with Russia. This could occur following a direct Russian attack, or through a subversive operation in Estonia, where Britain has troops stationed as part of NATO’s presence.
He said: “Russians might choose to try to isolate British troops in Estonia in order to demonstrate that Britain is the target, as well as Estonia.”
Migrants just received £11.9bn of Universal Credit – that’s not even most shocking thing
Migrant households have been handed more than £10bn in Universal Credit, Aaron Newbury reveals how Andy Burnham could turn that to his advantage.
Andy Burnham (Image: Getty)
How long can a state last when the number of those financially dependent on it exceeds the number contributing to its coffers? Such a question surely must not be far from the minds of our political leaders. After all, the data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) reports make it seem as if the cliff’s edge is fast approaching.
Earlier this year, the scale of the benefits crisis was laid bare when statistics revealed that about 53.3% of the population take away more than they pay in. Yet as ever, it appears misery begets misery, and for the boffins of Whitehall, the latest development in that miserable state of affairs only deepens the challenges they must overcome.
Now, Daily Express readers are faced with the stark reality that the amount of British taxpayers’ cash handed out to foreign nationals in Universal Credit has broken £10billion. That means around one in every six households that received the handout are foreign nationals, which has predictably sparked fury from the Conservative benches, and sent Reform UK’s contingent into a tizzy.
If those on the Labour side cannot fathom why this might be, they might want to head to their constituencies and ask their voters what they make of it. Those Britons might make note of the fact that the bill has soared by some £4.4bn in just two years – something which leaves many questions yet to be answered. It’s shocking.
Even as rumours swirl in Westminster that the Treasury is greedily eyeing further ways to improve its finances at the expense of our own, we are being told that billions are being spent on those born on other shores.
Few in the UK believe a safety net for the unfortunate should be removed. But many will baulk at the idea that those born overseas should benefit from the work and taxation of working Britons.
We are hardly a country that can boast of a vastly productive economy, coffers overflowing with rivulets of wealth, and all the domestic ills put soundly to bed. Speak to anyone, and they can tell you of lacklustre transport, underfunded local services and an NHS ever hungry for further investment. That’s not to mention the black hole in the national defence budget, which has led to alarm bells from former defence chiefs warning that the country is defenceless.
Before contemplating which other taxes to increase, Andy Burnham and his newly minted Chancellor, John Healey, would do well to take even a cursory look at the excessive abuse of the benefits system. While that goes against the natural instinct of the socialist, who are ever loath to suggest that the instruments of government may well be out of tune with the rest of us, it would serve them well.
Yes, a broader sweep through the ruinously expensive welfare state, the seeds of which were planted and watered by successive Labour governments, is needed. But I fear it would be foolish to think Eyelashes Andy is the man to do it.
His own particular brand of popularity, which, like most socialist operators, consists of taking from the productive to fund ever-growing handouts, prohibits a more constructive look at the system. He still has an easy win before him.
At the stroke of a pen, Mr Burnham could command that foreign nationals cannot receive Universal Credit. Undoubtedly, this would agitate the London lawyers, who would swiftly tut and huff dissapointedly, but it would be well received by the millions of hard-working Britons who struggle with the question: Why should my taxes be handed to foreign recipients?