Vladimir Putin’s nuclear targets in the
UK are not where most people think as fears of war with
Russia escalate, says a defence expert. The
Russian leader and his propaganda machine have stoked up the threat of a nuclear conflict with the West since the start of the
Ukraine invasion more than two years ago and the possibility is now widely seen as being at its greatest since the Cuban
missile crisis in 1962. Putin used his annual State of the Nation address to warn that Russia’s nuclear capabilities are at a state of “full readiness". He stated: "Strategic nuclear forces are in a state of full readiness for guaranteed use. What we planned in the field of armaments, which I spoke about in my message in 2018, has all been done or this work is being completed." He continued to ramp up the anti-western rhetoric in the wake of ''winning' the presidential
election in a poll widely criticised as a sham with anti-Putin candidates prevented from standing and the recent sudden death of main opposition leader Alexei Navalny in state custody. In recent weeks the Russian Ministry of Defence said that it had successfully test-fired a Yars intercontinental
ballistic missile, according to state news agency TASS. This weapon, which has been tried out before by Putin's troops on numerous occasions, is designed to be loaded with nuclear warheads. But in the horrific scenario that the UK was hit by a nuclear weapon from Russia, then where would the likely target be? Professor John Strawson, from the University of East London, told The Mirror that while many people would think it is London, that is in fact probably the safest place. Mango’s £36 shoulder bag looks near-identical to Gucci’s £865 crescent bag Tension between the UK and Putin is running at all time highs ( Image: Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) “An attack would likely be with missiles and a nuclear weapon would be used as a threat. From my experience with
NATO in the past, the theory was that in a nuclear war then the Soviets would use low value targets first in a way to demoralise and that the capital would be needed to be kept intact as it would be where you would negotiate with the leaders,” said the professor of Law, Policing and Justice. “So
Britain would target St Petersburg and not the capital
Moscow so as to keep the capital functioning. Then in the UK strangely you would probably be safest of all in the centre of London.” And then if
London wasn’t the target, large population bases in northern
England and
Scotland would be more likely such as Manchester ,
Liverpool, Glasgow or Edinburgh. National Archive documents show Edward Heath’s Government 50 years ago plotted 106 locations deemed to be “probable nuclear targets” - which did include London.
MILITARY bases and radar stations are likely locations for a nuclear strike including in Lincolnshire and Norfolk. While in Scotland the UK’s nuclear submarines have been based at Faslane Royal Navy base near the Firth of Clyde, which would be an obvious target. Modern Russian warheads in current deployment are capable of striking practically anywhere in the UK. The Federation of
American Scientists estimates Russia has 15 nuclear bases from which weapons could feasibly be launched towards the UK. If Putin was to attack a country in the West, then the UK has often shown an “anti-British stance, said Prof Strawson. He stated: “Putin has got this anti
British stance that can be seen in the way that he has tried to support former British colonies. He has been seen showing up to back countries like
South Africa and other countries in Africa and this has worked in the way that some have sided with Russia or abstained in votes, while they have formed diplomatic alliances.” But Prof Strawson feels that if an attack was to take place on a Western country like the UK then it is more likely to long drawn out warfare such as is happening in Ukraine currently. “Modern warfare is about missile strikes to try and soften local resistance as it is so terrifying. It is what they have been trying to do in Ukraine,” he said. Russian bombers are being put through their paces along with missile silos ( Image: AFP via Getty Images) His take comes as British spies have added two more towns to make nine targets that
Vladimir Putin would aim for if war breaks out with Russia . The up-to-date list - the most complete ever held by British intelligence services - was passed to a British intelligence officer in Eastern Europe by a Russian agent. Intelligence sources have warned that the two further locations in southern England are now on the list for long-range Russian bombers. But while the names have not been given, the insider confirmed that one of the towns "has military links" and the other doesn't. It is likely that towns with historical connections to the Armed Forces, such as Aldershot, Colchester and Portsmouth, are already on the list, other options range from Chatham, Kent to Tidworth and
Salisbury in Wiltshire.