Report: UK Prime Minister warned of Russian retaliatory actions
Andy Burnham tightened ties with Ukraine in his first weeks in office, and experts warn that Vladimir Putin may try to make the UK pay a price for this stance.
According to a report by the Daily Mail, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has been warned by security experts that the United Kingdom could face a direct Russian attack. While Moscow had expected Burnham to be more moderate toward the Kremlin, he has instead chosen to strengthen the alliance with Kyiv.
Burnham was warned that the UK must be prepared for a direct response from Vladimir Putin. Since taking office and replacing Keir Starmer, Burnham has dedicated his first international visit to Ukraine, transferred knowledge to Kyiv to help it independently produce long-range missiles, and made it clear that he intends to maintain the alliance between the two countries.
"Russia is testing our security infrastructure every day... it is only a matter of time until something bigger happens. Russia just needs to keep its actions at a low enough level to avoid a military response from NATO," a senior source told the British newspaper.
In an interview with the BBC, a former Russian Deputy Foreign Minister suggested that semi-military actions could be carried out against drone factories in the UK by unknown actors. The Kremlin spokesman also issued a veiled threat, accusing the UK of providing military aid to Ukraine.
The report comes against the backdrop of a surprise visit by CIA Director John Ratcliffe to Moscow. According to CBS, the visit follows US intelligence assessments suggesting that Vladimir Putin may be increasingly willing to authorize provocative actions against NATO members, including hybrid operations that remain below the threshold of conventional military action.
