Putin träumt davon, britische Städte zu zerstören. Großbritannien muss aufhören zu zögern und handeln

For many years, Russia has been practising [“hybrid”, “grey zone” or “sub-threshold” attacks](https://inews.co.uk/news/world/inside-russia-hybrid-attacks-europe-threaten-uk-4049064?ico=in-line_link) against the UK. The Kremlin sees Britain as a uniquely malicious force – one of the few countries with the means, and sometimes the will, to frustrate Russian policy. This is why the Russians often fantasise about destroying British cities with an array of nuclear contraptions or inflicting great harm on our assets.

The problem for Russian President Vladimir Putin, however, is that [Russia](https://inews.co.uk/topic/russia?ico=in-line_link) is in no position to risk open war with the UK. In popular discourse, Britain is often depicted as David to Russia’s Goliath. Although Russia outmatches the UK in terms of population, land area and [nuclear weapons](https://inews.co.uk/topic/nuclear-weapons?srsltid=AfmBOoo718GJdIojo-IykREkpYguJ5DBNfwAWNZNTKX0CZmDL1sD2QrW&ico=in-line_link), it is often forgotten that Britain’s economy is significantly larger, its scientific and technological base is more advanced, and its financial resources are potentially far greater – in part due to the City of London’s position as a command node in the global economy.

And the UK could strengthen its military posture with sufficient political will. Today, Britain invests just 2.3 per cent of its GDP in defence – or £61bn. If it raised investment to 3.5 per cent of its GDP – what the Government agreed to at the 2025 Nato Summit (albeit by 2035) – its military spending would swell to £110bn in 2026 and £136bn by 2030. To put this into context, Russia’s defence budget today, at a hefty 7.5 per cent of its GDP, is just shy of £112bn.

Unlike Russia – with its “CRINK” partners, China, Iran and North Korea – the UK boasts an array of allies and partners in [Nato](https://inews.co.uk/topic/nato?ico=in-line_link), [Aukus](https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/britain-warning-putin-12-attack-submarines-3725482?srsltid=AfmBOorD_jxuo9oHEDjwVEkPWnnTe_9CvGzSVXJq06ZcIb-kbyttZQNy&ico=in-line_link) and beyond. These provide “strategic depth” if Britain came under attack. And, as a compact island, the UK does not have multiple fronts to defend; it can focus its strength in the North Atlantic and the Baltic region, or support its allies and partners in the Black Sea – where Russia’s aggression has been most intense.

In part, because it has feared war with Britain and Nato, the Kremlin has adopted sneaky, opportunist tactics, designed to stoke anxiety and terror. According to Ken McCallum, director-general of MI5, Russia “is on a sustained mission to generate mayhem on British and European streets: we’ve seen arson, sabotage and more”. He describes these as “dangerous actions conducted with increasing recklessness”.

The defining example is Russia’s use of Novichok in 2018 to assassinate political opponents in Salisbury. But the list includes support for extremist forces, stoking political disorder, and spreading false and fictitious information. It also involves the use of narrative warfare in an attempt to weaken Britain in the eyes of the British people, as well as those of the wider world. More recently, Russia has [deployed the ](https://inews.co.uk/news/world/russian-threat-sea-growing-britain-isnt-ready-4096180?srsltid=AfmBOoqUZS4Ma7YvkhPc9TdbEAjZwp9B3aqyN7WfCydJpbW2wo6U6dnk&ico=in-line_link)[*Yantar* ](https://inews.co.uk/news/world/russian-threat-sea-growing-britain-isnt-ready-4096180?srsltid=AfmBOoqUZS4Ma7YvkhPc9TdbEAjZwp9B3aqyN7WfCydJpbW2wo6U6dnk&ico=in-line_link)[research vessel](https://inews.co.uk/news/world/russian-threat-sea-growing-britain-isnt-ready-4096180?srsltid=AfmBOoqUZS4Ma7YvkhPc9TdbEAjZwp9B3aqyN7WfCydJpbW2wo6U6dnk&ico=in-line_link) – a spy ship – to imply it could [sever the communication lines](https://inews.co.uk/news/uk-hybrid-naval-force-defend-russia-attacks-4079743?srsltid=AfmBOopVliT3_L3oDw0D34cx-MR4fqlsIZNqy5KT_6-Ub0huCQb6_eja&ico=in-line_link) which support the British economy.

fyi: iPaper is just another Daily Mail rag.