{"id":79135,"date":"2025-05-06T12:33:24","date_gmt":"2025-05-06T12:33:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/79135\/"},"modified":"2025-05-06T12:33:24","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T12:33:24","slug":"nuclear-strikes-secret-bunkers-for-royals-massive-cyber-attacks-how-britain-is-secretly-bracing-for-war-with-russia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/79135\/","title":{"rendered":"Nuclear strikes, secret bunkers for Royals, & massive cyber attacks\u2026 how Britain is secretly bracing for war with Russia"},"content":{"rendered":"

BRITAIN is bracing for a devastating Russian offensive that could involve nuclear strikes and crippling cyber attacks amid fears the country is not ready war. <\/p>\n

Government officials are racing to update decades-old contingency plans<\/a> to help the country’s defence stand back on its feet. <\/p>\n

\"British<\/a><\/p>\n

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British soldiers before the start of Steadfast Dart 2025 exercise – involving some 10,000 troops in three different countriesCredit: AP\"Three<\/a><\/p>\n

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British soldiers practice an assault on February 17, 2025 in Smardan, RomaniaCredit: Getty\"Soldiers<\/a><\/p>\n

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British troops load a 105MM Howitzer in Norway during war drillsCredit: PA\"Two<\/a><\/p>\n

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Royal Marine Commandos take up position on a beach in Harvstad, Norway after swimming ashore during a training exerciseCredit: PA\"Illustration<\/a><\/p>\n

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The classified “home defence plan” would lay out how\u00a0Downing Street\u00a0will respond if\u00a0Vladimir Putin<\/a>\u00a0declares war on the UK, including putting the\u00a0Royal Family\u00a0into bunkers.<\/p>\n

Ministers worry Britain could be outfought by\u00a0Russia\u00a0on the\u00a0battlefield, but also poorly defended at home as things stand.<\/p>\n

Experts have warned that the country’s national infrastructure is vulnerable ahead of the release of Labour’s Strategic Defence\u00a0Review\u00a0– an examination of the Armed Forces.<\/p>\n

As military warfare has evolved in the past two decades, fears are that Putin could launch a combination of attacks, including conventional ballistic missile strikes, sabotage and the latest tactic in the Russian playbook – cyberwarfare. <\/p>\n

Europe against Russian threat <\/p>\n

But Britain, which is just beginning to review and revise its security and contingency plans for the first time in more than 20 years – is feared not to be fully prepared to go to war against the Russians. <\/p>\n

Former Nato commander Colonel Hamish De Bretton-Gordon told The Sun: “Britain is very much in the sights of Putin’s derision, and we are the ones likely to be attacked first.<\/p>\n

“Britain really has got to dust off its contingency plans. Over 20 years of neglect, and we understand that’s exactly what this report is about at the moment.”<\/p>\n

Retired military officer Colonel Richard Kemp, who was working in the Cabinet Office when the contingency plans were last updated, told The Sun: “Contingency plans like this should be updated frequently. Twenty years is far too long, especially given the radically changed threat picture.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Putin has said Britain is in his crosshairs since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. <\/p>\n

“Even before then, he proved he was willing to attack this country, including with a nerve agent attack in Salisbury in 2018. We should take him seriously.” <\/p>\n

The classified plan by the Cabinet Office’s Resilience Directorate – which was last updated in 2005 – would set out war strategies in the event of a catastrophic attack by the Russians, which could well involve tactical and strategic nuclear weapons. <\/p>\n

The plan is based on the War Book, a Cold War dossier of instructions for government response to nuclear attacks.<\/p>\n

Putin \u2018offers to FREEZE Ukraine frontline\u2019 as Trump\u2019s 7-point peace plan \u2018to let Russia keep seized land\u2019 revealed<\/p>\n

Under such plans, Britain could be divided into 12 zones, each governed by Cabinet ministers, and food rationed.<\/p>\n

The plans will include scenarios like widespread sabotage and crippling cyber warfare, which were seen as a limited threat back when the document was last updated. <\/p>\n

It will also direct the PM\u00a0on how to run a wartime government, as well as strategies for travel networks,\u00a0courts\u00a0and the postal system, reports\u00a0the Daily Telegraph<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Although the highly-classified document is expected to never be revealed in the public domain, military experts suggest what could be changed to prepare us for a potential war against the Russians. <\/p>\n

Colonel Bretton-Gordon said that cyber attacks will be given a major chunk of attention in the latest round of updates. <\/p>\n

He believes the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) would be given additional funding to improve the existing measures against cyber attackers. <\/p>\n

There is particular concern for the country’s five active\u00a0nuclear power\u00a0stations, which if damaged by\u00a0strikes,\u00a0could release radioactive material across the country, resulting in long-term impact. <\/p>\n

In the event of an all-out war against Putin, members of the Royal family and key government officials will be sent to secret hideout bunkers to protect them. <\/p>\n

\"Two<\/a><\/p>\n

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Servicemen run to a position during the Steadfast Dart 2025 exercise, involving some 10,000 troops in three different countries from nine nationsCredit: AP\"F-35B<\/a><\/p>\n

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Britain\u2019s F-35B Lightning II new supersonic \u2018stealth\u2019 strike fighter flies over the North SeaCredit: Getty\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

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Sir Keir Starmer’s government is said to be updating contingency plansCredit: Getty\"King<\/a><\/p>\n

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The Royal family will be sent to secret bunkers in the event of a warCredit: Alamy<\/p>\n

Food circulation and modern logistics systems will be made more robust to ensure essential items can reach people whenever there is a need. <\/p>\n

And the public will be made more aware of their wartime duties. <\/p>\n

Bretton-Gordon added: “Plans will be to make sure our critical infrastructure is as secure as it can be. <\/p>\n

“There will be contingency plans. If one nuclear power station goes down, then other power infrastructure can take up the slack.<\/p>\n

“During the Cold War, the people probably had a lot of training and expertise to deal with contaminated nuclear casualties, but the situation has probably changed now. <\/p>\n

“These are the sort of things that just need to be reviewed, so that in the event this happens, it’s not a complete shock.” <\/p>\n

“We are up against an autocratic tyrant who has absolutely no concern for collateral damage or civilian casualties. <\/p>\n

“I’m sure Putin wouldn’t think twice about firing a missile, nuclear or conventional, at London cities and the UK’s critical national infrastructure.” <\/p>\n

\"Vladimir<\/a><\/p>\n

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Russian President Vladimir PutinCredit: AP\"Soldiers<\/a><\/p>\n

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Russian troops march towards the Red Square last weekCredit: Getty\"Missile<\/a><\/p>\n

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It passed a test launch in April of 2022Credit: East2West<\/p>\n

Russia, on many occasions, has threatened to wipe out UK off the world map. <\/p>\n

And with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer leading the European defence plan alongside the French to support Ukraine, Putin and deputies in the Kremlin could see the UK as a possible target. <\/p>\n

Bretton-Gordon said: “What has changed recently is the threats coming out of Moscow that actually Britain, which is leading the coalition of the willing with the French. <\/p>\n

“There are a number of scenarios that could lead us into conflict with the Russians, and the prospect of that then leads to the prospect of nuclear attack.” <\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Colonel Kemp warned that Russia could attack Britain in several ways that could wreak havoc on the nation – and our armed forces are simply not prepared enough to fight Putin’s troops. <\/p>\n

He added: “We could be the target of large-scale ballistic missile, cruise missile, drone, cyber, chemical and even nuclear strikes as well as sabotage. <\/p>\n

“I would hope that what has recently been happening in Ukraine and the Middle East has galvanised our leaders so that we are prepared. But we have a huge amount of ground to make up.” <\/p>\n

“The best way to avoid such things happening to us is deterring an attack. That means we need to substantially increase our own offensive as well as defensive capabilities.”<\/p>\n

NOT GOOD ENOUGH <\/p>\n

The Cabinet Office ran a risk assessment in January in which it modelled a scenario in which a hostile foreign state launched various types of attack on the UK’s infrastructure.<\/p>\n

It found that any such successful strike could be devastating.<\/p>\n

A senior\u00a0RAF\u00a0official said last month if\u00a0Russia\u00a0had attacked the UK in the same way as it had\u00a0Ukraine<\/a>\u00a0more than three years ago – within hours missiles would have broken through defences and destroyed key targets.<\/p>\n

Military experts agree that Britain’s air defence systems are not adequate to thwart a large-scale missile attack. <\/p>\n

Colonel Kemp said: “One of our major weaknesses is air defence, both for our forces and homeland defence. <\/p>\n

“Putin has significant long-range missile and attack drone capability, which could be used against us.<\/p>\n

“The other day, a Houthi ballistic missile from Yemen penetrated Israel\u2019s air defences and struck their international airport. <\/p>\n

“Israel has the most comprehensive and advanced air and missile defence systems in the world.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“That shows how vulnerable any country can be to attack, and we have nothing even approaching Israel\u2019s capabilities.”\u00a0<\/p>\n

Bretton-Gordon added: ”\u00a0I expect, as part of the Strategic Defence Review, a lot of focus will be on air defence. <\/p>\n

“But it’s not just missiles and fighter jets, the Ukraine war shows how effective drone warfare could be.” <\/p>\n

\"Illustration<\/a><\/p>\n

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\"Storm<\/a><\/p>\n

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A British Storm Shadow missileCredit: AP\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

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