World War 3 fears have been sparked after Vladimir Putin threatened a UK town in a county he already caused chaos in. The Russian president ordered the Salisbury poisonings, and has now set his sights on the town of Swindon.
Threat from Russian Propagandist
Russian propagandist Vladimir Solovyov, a close ally of Vladimir Putin, issued a chilling threat suggesting the country should target Britain's drone manufacturing facilities, nine of which happen to be in Swindon.
During his radio show Full Contact, he declared: "The British are openly saying that these are their drones; then why are we yet to destroy factories in Britain? Because something will happen? What else has to happen?
"Will Britain use all of its might that it doesn't have? England, why are we yet to carry out the strikes against the factories that produce the drones for the strikes against our territory?"
Swindon's Drone Industry Growth
The Wiltshire town has quickly forged a reputation as one of the main production hubs for drones in the UK. There are currently nine companies either already established or having signed agreements to set up drone-making operations in Swindon.
Its current and incoming businesses include The Uncrewed Systems Centre at Panattoni Park, described as Europe's largest drone testing facility which opened earlier this month.
Defence Minister Alistair Carns said the town had previously been at the forefront of "groundbreaking technology" with the Spitfire and could now lead in autonomous vehicles.
Role in Ukraine Conflict
The expansion of Swindon's drone industry comes as British-made unmanned systems are playing an increasingly prominent role in the war in Ukraine.
The Ministry of Defence has also announced plans to supply Ukraine with tens of thousands of drones, including long-range strike systems, as part of its biggest-ever package of drone support.
The Government said it would provide more than 150,000 drones during the year, highlighting the growing importance of the technology to modern warfare and adding context to the debate over Swindon's ambitions to become a centre for the industry.
