Britain could be under attack as Russia has singled out a drone factory and a missile company as ‘legitimate targets’, it was claimed last night.
The tensions escalated after the UK government announced it would share classified blueprints and technology for long-range Storm Shadow/SCALP cruise missiles to help Ukraine produce them domestically.
Now, a senior adviser to Vladimir Putin warned that the Russian forces were considering a ‘hybrid attack’, such as sabotage or arson, rather than an ‘outright military strike’ that would unleash a response from Nato.
According toThe Mail, Andrei Fedorov, a former deputy foreign minister of Russia, described the UK as ‘evil number one’.
Among the Kremlin’s targets is a drone factory owned by a British-Ukrainian firm, Ukrspecsystems.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova separately stated that any British military installations or equipment inside or outside Ukraine could become legitimate targets, accusing London of crossing a dangerous line.
However, on Saturday night, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting dismissed the threats: ‘The reckless rhetoric and attempts at intimidation we have seen from the Kremlin in recent weeks reflects the weakness of Putin’s position and we will not be intimidated.
‘This has been a bad year for Putin. The front line has barely moved. Russian casualties continue to mount. The Russian people are paying a heavy price for Putin’s war.
‘It is also in our national interest that Putin’s aggression must not be rewarded. The Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and I are working together to mobilise support for Ukraine ahead of winter.’
