UK defence chiefs fear that Russia could target Gibraltar or Cyprus in retaliation for Ukraine using Storm Shadow missiles.
Senior defence figures held emergency talks with officials in Cyprus and Gibraltar after Putin warned that his military could strike the UK in response to the war-torn country’s use of the British-made rocket, The Telegraph reports.
Vladimir Putin revealed last month that Russia had tested a new intermediate-range missile – known as Oreshnik – on Ukraine, and threatened that it could use the nuclear-capable weapon against countries that had allowed their missiles to strike Russia.
A source close to discussions told the newspaper that British interests overseas are easier to access than the UK itself, and that Cyprus is much more vulnerable to an attack.
‘Russia could arm Hezbollah or another proxy to launch an attack via Iran. One of the things we are most worried about is the Houthis being equipped to launch an attack and they are close to Cyprus,’ the source added.
The discussions are also believed to have included conversation around whether the need for any new defensive measures were required.
According to the newspaper, senior government sources confirmed the conversations had taken place in recent weeks, but it was emphasized that this was ‘standard practice’.
The current threat level to England’s military bases in Cyprus and Gibraltar is reportedly ‘substantial’ – meaning an attack is ‘likely’.
Putin warned that his military could strike the UK in response to the war-torn country’s use of the British-made rocket
Putin revealed last month that Russia had tested a new intermediate-range missile – known as Oreshnik – on Ukraine
It is thought that Gibraltar could be a target for Russia if Moscow wants to hurt UK interests
The ‘likely’ outcome is one of five potential threat levels which range from ‘low’ to ‘critical’, meaning an attack s ‘highly likely in the near future’.
It comes after a new report warned that Britain is ‘widely underestimating’ the threat of cyber attacks from Russia and China after a three-fold increase in severe incidents in a year.
Richard Horne, head of GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) warned of the threat posed by Russia’s online ‘aggression and recklessness’ and ‘highly sophisticated’ Chinese hackers.
In his first major speech, the cyber security chief highlighted the ‘widening gap’ between the threats facing the UK from state-backed hackers and criminals and the defences in place to protect businesses and public services.
Pat MacFadden, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, also said Russia would ‘not think twice’ about ‘turning the lights off for millions of people’ by unleashing a wave of debilitating cyber attacks.
McFadden, who oversees policy on national security and state threats, warned that cyber interference enables Russia to severely disrupt countries and represents the ‘hidden war’ it is waging against Kyiv.
In a speech to the NATO Cyber Defence Conference at Lancaster House, the minister said: ‘Military hard-power is one thing. But cyber war can be destabilising and debilitating.
‘With a cyber attack, Russia can turn the lights off for millions of people. It can shut down the power grids. This is the hidden war Russia is waging with Ukraine.’
He added: ‘Given the scale of that hostility, my message to members today is clear: no one should underestimate the Russian cyber threat to NATO.
‘The threat is real. Russia is exceptionally aggressive and reckless in the cyber realm.’
Alistair Carns, the nation’s veterans minister, earlier this week warned the entire British Army would be wiped out in ‘six months to a year’ during a major war.
Alistair Carns, MP speaks with army personnel, on October 29, 2024 in Salisbury, England
Anew report warned that Britain is ‘widely underestimating’ the threat of cyber attacks from Russia and China
A muzzle flash lights up pine trees as the British Army’s new Archer Mobile Howitzer gun fires, as British Army soldiers take part in training near Rovaniemi in the Arctic Circle, Finland. Picture date: Tuesday November 19, 2024
Carns, who won the Military Cross for gallantry on special forces operations, issued the bleak assessment as he stressed the importance of building up Britain’s military reserve forces.
The MP’s warning came as he highlighted the huge numbers of Russian soldiers being slaughtered in Ukraine.
The veterans minister, who is also a reservist, said around 1,500 Russian soldiers were killed or wounded every day. The highest reported total in a single day is around 2,000.
Mr Carns claimed the ability for Russia to be able to absorb such savage losses and continue with his invasion of Ukraine was part of Putin’s plan, which is why Britain must boost its number of full-time professional soldiers and widen its pool of part-time reservists.
‘In a war of scale – not a limited intervention, but one similar to Ukraine – our army for example on the current casualty rates would be expended – as part of a broader multinational coalition – in six months to a year,’ Mr Carns reported said in a speech at a conference on reserves at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London.
Mr Carns, a former full time Royal Marine Colonel until he switched his military career for one in politics, noted that Russia would soon be moving onto its third army in Ukraine, having conscripted tens of thousands of troops into its war effort.
‘That doesn’t mean we need a bigger army, but it does mean you need to generate depth and mass rapidly in the event of a crisis,’ Mr Carns said.