UK security sources have warned that a "paranoid" Vladimir Putin could launch an attack on Britain or other NATO countries, as fears of World War 3 escalate. The sources believe the Russian President's actions are becoming increasingly unpredictable and that he could target NATO nations.
These concerns intensified after Germany directly accused Russia of an attempted drone attack on Leipzig airport last month. The Kremlin has denied any involvement in the incident.
Insiders fear shrinking inner circle
A Western security source told the iPaper: "One of the concerns is that Putin is speaking to an increasingly small inner circle of people and none of the more sensible voices is still there." The insider also suggested that Putin is becoming "paranoid" and may "not be thinking rationally".
It is also feared that Putin's behaviour could become more reckless due to Russia's difficult economic situation.
Economic strain and internal dissent
Lord Dannatt, former head of the British Army, said: "The internal enemies are starting to encircle the Kremlin wagons." The old guard of Putin's supporters is becoming more concerned that popular opinion is turning against him, despite his control of the media.
"You cannot hide rising prices, interest rates and inflation, nor the long queues at petrol stations. The danger for us is that he might lash out. What about the drone at Leipzig? And his smirk when asked if the UK should be worried about an attack," Lord Dannatt added.
"Meanwhile, our Government refuses to commit to 3% of GDP on defence by 2030."
UK targets identified
Putin was previously urged by a high-profile Moscow politician to target British defence-linked locations. Kremlin senator Dmitry Rogozin highlighted a list of 23 British sites in a map last year, singling out military bases in Barrow, Plymouth, and Glasgow, among others.
The list, spanning military and industrial sites across all four nations of the UK, was extracted from the UK government's policy paper 'Defence Industrial Strategy 2025: Making Defence an Engine for Growth'.
TV propagandist Vladimir Solovyov shared the message, saying: "Dmitry Rogozin today posted a reminder of targets in Britain that could be destroyed first."
