Simulation shows how Britain would respond to Russian attack as propagandist threatens 23 locations

Russian propagandists have been claiming that they've got 23 locations in the UK they would bomb as they continue to sabre-rattle over the potential of World War III.

Putin's allies threatening to blow up the UK over some perceived slight means it must be a day ending in 'y', and it's certainly not the first time Russian threats have loomed over the continent or the prospect of WW3 has been on the table due to possible Russian aggression.

Back in decades gone by, the Cold War was going on and there were plenty of fears that it would turn hot, which thankfully it never did, but there were plans in place should something like that happen.

A simulation from the 70s shows how sadly little has changed, and how the chilling prospect of a war to end not just all wars but the world itself looms behind conflicts and rising tensions, and shows how Britain would respond as part of NATO operations.

Fortunately, for the changes in the days since that initial simulation was put together, the geopolitical map of the world has changed significantly.

The Russians no longer hold sway over much of Eastern Europe, with many of the countries formerly occupied by the Soviet Union having joined NATO.

As such, that's a significant amount of manpower and industry which they don't have, and much more of the continent they'd have to conquer.

As it stands, the Russian armies continue to flounder in Ukraine and they've burned through many of their stockpiles so they'd struggle to fight on a much larger front where they'd be facing a higher rate of equipment loss.

Chillingly, the old simulation does raise the possibility that a conflict would go nuclear, stating that 'sooner or later there would come a time when only nuclear weapons would stop the advance'.

Once upon a time it was thought that Russia would bring overwhelming numbers, now they're struggling to take Ukraine (Contributor/Getty Images)

That rather rings true for both sides in any potential future conflict, as Russia has the world's largest stockpile of nuclear weapons, while France and the UK also both have a nuclear arsenal.

Going nuclear is the situation nobody (hopefully) wants, but it is the option on the table if things are going sufficiently badly, and Russia has occasionally hinted that it has nuclear targets in the UK.

The old simulation depicts a scenario where NATO forces would be outnumbered by the Russians and ultimately have to give ground in Europe in the event of an attack, with forces aiming to spring ambushes which 'take its toll' but don't stop the advance.