The United Kingdom is secretly preparing for the possibility of a direct military attack by Russia, driven by fears that it is not adequately prepared for war, The Telegraph reports, citing government sources.
“Officials have been asked to update 20-year-old contingency plans that would put the country on a war footing after threats of attack by the Kremlin,” one of the UK’s oldest newspapers reported.
The government is drafting a new classified “homeland defense plan” to clearly outline how the country should respond in the crucial first days after a potential Russian strike on British soil.
“A classified dossier will set out how the Government would respond to a declaration of war, including bunkers to protect the Cabinet and the Royal family, public service broadcasts and the stockpiling of resources,” the report reads.
Some UK ministers are concerned that the country might not only be outmatched by Russia and its allies on the battlefield, but also be underprepared and poorly defended domestically.
“Kremlin officials have repeatedly threatened the UK with a direct attack over its support for Ukraine, which may soon include British troops on the ground,” the report reads.
Britain’s critical infrastructure remains highly vulnerable to missile strikes, nuclear attacks, or cyberwarfare, experts have warned. These concerns are what is providing an impetus for an updated defense plan, which includes measures to protect the country’s key systems.
The document is likely to remain classified for decades.
Last month, a Royal Air Force official warned that if the first night of the war in Ukraine had taken place in the UK, Russian missiles would likely have breached British defenses and destroyed key infrastructure.
The new defense strategy is modelled after the Cold War-era “War Book” — a secret dossier outlining the UK government’s response to a nuclear strike. That document was eventually declassified and placed in the country’s National Archives.
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