UK responds to Putin’s plans to ‘escalate war’ in Ukraine

‘The threats we face are getting closer to home’

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said that “the threats we face are not only evolving, they are getting closer to home.”

“Every day, the UK and our allies encounter espionage, cyberattacks and military posturing by hostile states. Along these threats comes the bellicose rhetoric we hear from the Kremlin”, Streeting said.

“Russia is constantly probing us and testing us. Russia sees the UK and NATO as a threat which in reality simply doesn’t exist. The UK is not at war with Russia, nor do we seek confrontation with Russia”, he added.

In case of any attack on a NATO ally, the defence secretary said that the UK is ready to defend.

“Moscow should be in no doubt we are ready to defend every inch of NATO, should Russia attack”, Streeting said.

Putin’s plans to increase attacks following election

Vladimir Putin is reportedly preparing to intensify hybrid attacks on Kyiv’s allies in Europe, in addition to escalating his war against Ukraine.

As per The Telegraph, Western intelligence officials believe the Russian leader is laying the ground for a “stealth mobilisation”.

Vladimir Putin in New Dehli in India on Saturday 12 September, during the 18th BRICS Summit. Credit: Getty Images

Following elections in Russia this weekend, it reported that thousands of Russians could be drafted.

One intelligence source told The Telegraph that “what we are seeing is administrative preparations to make it possible to do it, if that was the decision.

The latest comes amid warnings by European leaders that Russia’s hybrid war against the West is likely to intensify.

As per those intelligence sources, Putin has been backed into a corner and his Ukraine invasion is effectively at a stalemate.

Rather than enter meaningful peace talks mediated by US President Donald Trump, his Russian counterpart has reportedly decided to escalate things further.

Western intelligence officials questioned whether Russia has the equipment to send 300,000 new recruits into the battlefield, saying a “very big public mass mobilisation feels unlikely”, as per The Telegraph.

Previously, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that according to his intelligence services, Putin was planning to call up an additional 300,000 troops.