Britons are to be told to stockpile tinned food for emergencies amid fears of a potential Russian attack, it is claimed. Civil defence planning will reportedly be accelerated with officials concerned Vladimir Putin could order a strike on a critical sector “within the next few years”.
Warnings from officials and NATO
It follows warnings from former PM Sir Keir Starmer, Western intelligence agencies and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte that the alliance must be ready for a possible Russian attack by 2030. The Cabinet Office has been urged to bring forward planning for the home defence programme, according to reports citing sources.
The strategy, bringing together civilian and military planning for crises, would be crucial in the event of an attack.
Home defence programme details
The Telegraph reports the programme is being led by the COBR national emergency committee. It is said to include plans for the so-called war book detailing how the country transitions from peace to conflict and crisis. This was introduced during the First World War but has not been updated since the fall of the Soviet Union.
Sources told The Telegraph that some aspects of plans for homeland defences had been brought forward from a 2035 deadline to 2030. An energy resilience strategy is also reportedly expected to be published later this year. Officials are believed to be worried the public is not fully aware of the potential threats.
Information campaign and stockpiling guidance
An information campaign on “national resilience” is being planned for this autumn, it is claimed. The campaign is expected to include guidance on stockpiling food — specifically tinned products which have a longer shelf life — as well as water and candles. A major national home defence exercise is also expected to be launched next year.
One source said: “We need to be ready for threats to become more possible by 2030.”
Russian activity and government response
A surge of Russian activity around Britain has only heightened concerns that the country is ill-prepared for the threat posed by Moscow. A senior Kremlin adviser on Monday warned British factories producing drones for Ukraine could come under “semi-military” action by “unknown sources”.
Andrei Fedorov’s comments came after Britain agreed to give Ukraine blueprints for long-range missiles, paving the way for Kyiv to build the weapons themselves. Mr Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the move — which has stoked further tensions with the Kremlin — would add “fuel to the fire” of the Ukraine war.
A Government spokesperson said: “The Government has been running the home defence programme since 2024, ensuring the country is fully prepared to deal with a variety of threats. Safeguarding national security is the first priority of any government, and we routinely plan for a range of scenarios as a vital part of maintaining our preparedness.”
