Official report exposes five ways enemies would strike Britain if WW3 started this year
Political tensions across Europe seem to be at an all-time high and as Russia's conflict with Ukraine rages on, Keir Starmer has warned that the UK must be prepared for war.
The Prime Minister has been unerring in his support for Ukraine since being voted in last year, while US President Donald Trump has also condemned the actions of Russia's president Vladimir Putin in recent weeks, branding him 'absolutely crazy'.
Given the threats that have been regularly made against the UK in Russian media, it seems clear that relations are at an all-time low and as a result, the chances of a third World War has unfortunately been touted.
How likely is the threat of war in 2025?
There are some people who might argue that WW3 has already begun, given the millions of people that have been uprooted and the thousands of people who have been killed in the fighting ever since Russia invaded in 2022.
Advert
Of course, that isn't the only conflict ongoing in the world, with a huge number of innocent people also losing their lives in Gaza, while Syria and Sudan are both respectively in the midst of a civil war.
Its 80 years since the last World War concluded, but unless leaders across the world can find a way to stop Putin and kickstart peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, then the threat of war is only likely to increase.
What did Keir Starmer say yesterday?
Starmer was clear when speaking to the press yesterday that he wants to up the UK's preparedness for war.
The PM said that the UK's armed forces must move to 'war-fighting readiness' over the coming years, and that the country faces a 'more serious and immediate' threat than anytime since the Cold War, and 'every citizen must play their part'.
The prime minister also confirmed the news that the UK’s conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine fleet will be significantly expanded, with up to 12 new boats built, which follows on from the £15 billion investment set out in the UK’s sovereign nuclear warhead programme.
What are the five ways that enemies would strike Britain?
The government’s strategic defence review has warned that the UK could face a huge number of threats, including cyber attacks, long-range drones, cruise missiles, increased sabotage and efforts to manipulate what is being reported.
Missiles and drone strikes would likely target bases, ports and airfields in Britain and overseas, with military infrastructure and critical national infrastructure, such as nuclear and energy sites, also earmarked for attack.
Enemy countries would also seek to disrupt maritime trade and attack satellites, as part of 'efforts to manipulate information to undermine social cohesion and political will', according to the report.
Major bases likely to be targeted include the three Royal Navy bases at Portsmouth, Plymouth and Clyde, as well as outposts in the Indian Ocean and in Cyprus.
How would the UK react?
The UK currently relies on its six Royal Navy destroyers to intercept the type of ballistic or hypersonic missiles that Russia has used to attack Ukraine.
However, the government has pledged to invest around £1 billion in boosting the UK's air defences and improve the country's ability to track missiles.
There is much work to be done, with potentially not much time to do it, as the report suggested that Britain is extremely vulnerable to attack due to 95 per cent of the UK's data being carried by undersea cables, while 46 per cent of our food also comes via imports.
It stated: “Undersea pipelines and data cables are critical for sustaining daily national life. The maritime domain is increasingly vulnerable. The Royal Navy must be prepared to deter maritime incidents similar to the sabotage of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and the cutting of undersea data cables in UK and international waters.”
Topics: Keir Starmer, Russia, Ukraine, UK News
James Moorhouse