Russia threat grows as Burnham faces pressure to wake up

Warnings from Poland and France put pressure on the UK Government as fears grow over Russian attacks beyond Ukraine

Tusk sounds the alarm

European warnings about the risk of further Russian attacks are growing, putting fresh pressure on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to demonstrate how Britain intends to respond.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has warned that intelligence assessments indicate Russia could launch drone or missile attacks against NATO countries supporting Ukraine, including Poland.

Tusk said the attacks could be presented as “accidents” designed to test NATO's willingness to respond. He warned that the coming months could bring serious tests for the alliance.

The warning comes as European countries deal with a series of incidents involving drones, cyber operations and other suspected Russian “hybrid” activity.

Macron raises the stakes

French President Emmanuel Macron has also ordered increased protection for critical infrastructure after warning that Russian hybrid activity in Europe is intensifying.

France is preparing measures to protect sensitive sites, including defence infrastructure, against possible drone and cyber attacks. Macron said Russia was seeking to intimidate countries supporting Ukraine.

NATO has also been dealing with increasingly serious incidents around its eastern flank. Earlier this week an Italian fighter operating under NATO command shot down a suspected Russian drone over Lithuania after it entered the country's airspace from Belarus.

So what is Britain doing?

The Daily Mail reported criticism from opposition politicians and former defence figures who argue that Britain needs to respond more urgently.

Former defence secretary Ben Wallace questioned whether the Government was giving national security sufficient priority, while former Army intelligence officer Philip Ingram warned that the combination of Russian activity and Western military pressures represented an increasingly dangerous situation.

Kemi Badenoch also questioned whether the Government was taking the Russian threat seriously enough.

The Government, however, rejects the suggestion that it is ignoring the threat.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said Britain remained determined to stand against Russian aggression and pointed to increased defence spending, including £750 million for counter-drone equipment and protection for British forces.

And what about mobilisation?

Adding another layer to the concerns are reports that Russia could consider further mobilisation after this weekend's parliamentary election.

The Daily Mail reports claims of a possible “stealth mobilisation” involving as many as 300,000 troops.

That remains an expectation rather than a confirmed Russian decision. Moscow has denied that a new mobilisation is being planned.

The timing is nevertheless attracting attention because Russia is currently holding its first parliamentary election since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Europe is watching

The immediate question for Britain is therefore not whether Russia is about to launch an attack on NATO — there is no confirmation of that — but how seriously European governments should treat the warnings now being issued by some of the alliance's most exposed members.

Tusk says the intelligence points to possible Russian hybrid attacks. Macron says the threat is intensifying. Britain says its intelligence assessment of Russia's strategy has not changed.

For Burnham's Government, the argument over defence spending and Britain's readiness is unlikely to disappear any time soon.

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Why should Yookay wake up?
We're being invaded by browns and left the EU 10 years ago.

If Europe & US want to fight the russians we'll allow it.
Just don't expect us to chip in for the bill.
GFYs