The UK government will issue advice later this year urging the public to stock up on food and water to prepare for potential Russian cyber attacks and other catastrophic events. The initiative, dubbed a 'national resilience campaign', is expected to launch before the end of 2026 and will also cover extreme weather and major disruptions to infrastructure.
Government's National Resilience Campaign
Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the Prime Minister, said the campaign would help people take 'small but important steps to be prepared in case of emergencies and disruption'. He added: 'The Government will do all it can and we are well prepared – but we can all play our part to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe.' The advice will focus on incidents such as extreme weather or major cyberattacks that could interrupt the power grid, water supplies or mobile phone signal.
Rising Threat from Russian Cyber Attacks
The campaign comes amid an uptick in Russian cyber attacks on critical UK infrastructure, including the transport network, NHS and major industries. The UK is already subject to around 45,000 cyber attacks each year, with Russia conducting them daily. On Monday, the UK and allies accused Russia of an attempted hack targeting Poland’s power grid last December that could have left 500,000 people without electricity in winter.
Heatwave Deaths and Strained Resources
The UK has experienced a series of heatwaves already estimated to have killed 2,700 people in England and Wales, while straining water supplies and putting pressure on the power grid. Western governments have expressed mounting concern about the potential impact of cyberattacks on energy supplies.
Operation Albiston Shadow and National Risk Register
In response to the mounting risk of 'hybrid' attacks, Jones said the government would hold a major home defence exercise next year. Dubbed Operation Albiston Shadow, the exercise will take place over several days and involve ministers and hundreds of officials from across government. Jones also updated the UK’s National Risk Register, adding seven new entries, including the risk of cyberattacks targeting data and water infrastructure and police systems, as well as 'digital resilience failure' such as the 2024 Crowdstrike outage. The risk of foreign interference in democratic processes has also been added.
Jones said: 'Throughout our history, the UK has overcome challenges from plagues and pandemics to war and our fair share of wet weather. It is right that we consistently evaluate the risks we could face and plan for what may come.'
