Britain MUST brace for direct attacks from Russia, warn security experts

Britain MUST brace for direct attacks from Russia, warn security experts

 MARCO GIANNANGELI - SUNDAY EXPRESS DIPLOMATIC EDITOR

Britain should prepare for direct attacks by Russia or its agents, security experts warned on Saturday night.

Last week former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev claimed that UK politicians are now legitimate military targets for Moscow.

Attacks could also range from the sabotage of critical infrastructure to deniable radiolog­ical or chemical assaults.

Royal Navy sources already privately suspect that Russia was behind the cutting of undersea communications cables in the Shetland islands last year.

However, while direct attacks should not be ruled out, some experts argue that Moscow will focus instead on gradually sapping public support for Ukrainethrough disinformation.

Keir Giles, a Russia expert with the Chatham House think-tank and author of Russia’s War On Everybody, believes Britain has long been a Kremlin target.

He said: “President Volodymyr Zel­­ensky has said the UK is the leader of the coalition because it is least deterred by the threat of nuclear retribution.

“But this is not a new threat. Russia has for a long time looked to exploit the UK’s vulnerabilities and it has, to some extent, succeeded because of the UK’s traditional unwillingness to recognise and address these threats.”

It is feared Putin could soon return to a Cold War tactic, by finding hardline Iranian groups with scope to operate in the UK.