A high-ranking Russian official has stoked new fears of World War Three with a fresh barrage of threats aimed at the UK.

Dmitry Rogozin, a senator and war combatant, formerly deputy premier and space agency chief, has warned that dozens of British defense-linked sites will be targeted as he plots out more than 20 locations in the UK that could come under attack.

In Russia‘s most recent threat, Rogozin has disseminated a map pinpointing 23 defense sites. The locations consist of both military and industrial sites across all four nations of the UK.

Rogozin took the map from the UK government’s policy paper “Defence Industrial Strategy 2025: Making Defence an Engine for Growth.”

The chilling threat comes after former British defense secretary Ben Wallace called for “making Crimea uninhabitable and unviable from a Russian point of view” this week.

Kremlin-scripted TV propagandist Vladimir Solovyov stated: “Dmitry Rogozin today posted a reminder of targets in Britain that could be destroyed first. The idiots will get what’s coming to them, they’ll just get what’s coming to them.”

While it remains thankfully improbable that Russia will unleash such atrocities on the UK, these latest threats have understandably left Brits contemplating what a nuclear strike would entail, and what measures could be taken to offer at least some hope of survival.

Measures to take to protect yourself

Dr. Arnab Basu, CEO of Kromek Group plc, shared with the Mirror last month: “If a nuclear strike were launched on a UK city, residents would likely be given some warning. For those outside the immediate blast zone, the priority is to get to shelter quickly, ideally the most central part of a building. Seal windows and doors with tape to reduce radioactive dust entering. Fill every possible container with water, such as sinks and bathtubs, as water supplies are likely to be contaminated after the explosion.”

While many might feel the urge to escape in search of safety, Dr. Basu, who has previously written a White Paper on “rethinking our readiness for rapid response radiation monitoring in the face of nuclear incidents”, suggests this might not be the best course of action.

He advised: “For the next two to three days, remain indoors, preferably in the most central part of your shelter, away from exterior walls and windows. Survival depends less on fleeing and more on shielding yourself from fallout, limiting exposure and relying on stored resources until immediate radiation levels begin to fall.”

What is the safest place to stay?

The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) advises that the safest place to be in the event of a nuclear blast is inside the center of a building or basement.

“On August 6, 1945, Mr Eizo Nomura was in the basement of a building in Hiroshima, about 170 meters from ground zero. He survived the atomic bombing and died in 1982 at the age of 84. Most people within a few hundred metres of a nuclear detonation are not likely to survive, especially if unprepared.

“Be inside before the fallout arrives. After a detonation, you will have 10 minutes or more to find an adequate shelter before fallout arrives. If a multi-story building or a basement can be safely reached within a few minutes of the explosion, go there immediately. The safest buildings have brick or concrete walls. Underground parking garages and subways can also provide good shelter.”

Based on this guidance, many people would logically think that London, with its vast underground system, would offer the greatest protection, given how the tube tunnels provided some safety from explosions during the horrific days of the Blitz.

But some specialists worry that today’s nuclear weapons could penetrate far deeper than the bombs from World War II, meaning even the 58-meter-deep Hampstead station would remain dangerously close to ground level.

Andrew Futter, a Professor of International Politics at the University of Leicester, previously told My London that the Underground “probably wouldn’t be deep enough if there was a direct hit”. In the event of a nuclear attack on one of the UK’s major cities – from London to Edinburgh – being outside of the blast zone would offer the best chance of survival.

The impact of a nuclear explosion is determined by several factors, including a radiation radius of 153 km2, a fireball radius of about 197 km2, an air blast radius between 321 km2 and 1,420 km2, and a thermal radiation radius of 12,960 km2.

While these distances can fluctuate based on weather conditions, property researchers have previously identified places that could offer relative safety in such a horrific scenario.

These locations, listed by property portal EMoov back in 2017, are located outside of the immediate range of blasts in major British cities:

CornwallWeymouthFolkestoneDoverMargateClacton-on-SeaFelixstoweBrixworthBidefordAberystwythSkegnessIsle of AngleseyBarrow in FurnessLancasterWhitbyCarlisleDumfriesBerwick-upon-TweedInverness

However, some of these areas are still close enough to blast sites to be affected by radiation carried by winds. Therefore, the remote island Foula, on the Shetland Isles, could well be the safest place in the UK in this instance.