A Russian politician has claimed that Vladimir Putin is waiting for a specific line to be crossed before launching strikes on England, with a map on state television appearing to show potential targets across the UK.
State Duma deputy Adalby Shkhagoshev issued the threat during an episode of the TV show 60 Minutes, saying Moscow could hurt the country "very painfully". When asked by host Olga Skabeeva why there have not been attacks against NATO allies, he said: "I see it and I understand it; we're also being asked these questions. For example, why aren't we striking England right now? We're watching it very seriously; we have our plans. As soon as certain lines I've mentioned are crossed by England, we will certainly use the kinds of weapons that will strike England very painfully."
Warning over national security threat
The "certain lines" he referred to were a "serious threat to our national security and to our borders", which he mentioned earlier in the episode.
Military expert Mikhail Khodaryonok added that Russia has the ability to launch an attack on Britain, warning of action "sooner or later". He said: "As to the hypothetical strikes against the objects of the United Kingdom's military-industrial complex, Britain's leadership has to realise that sooner or later, they will have to answer for their actions.
"If not today, then tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, but in the historically observable future after all. We have all technical means for a strike against the military-industrial complex of Great Britain."
Map highlights five UK areas
As the guests were speaking, a map repeatedly flashed up on screen, appearing to show potential targets on a map of the UK. While it is not explicitly clear what it depicts, as it is in Russian, the map highlights five areas up and down the country, in the rough areas of London, Norfolk, Bristol, Bath, and Edinburgh.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova also warned that London will not be able to avoid responsibility for supplying Kyiv with Storm Shadow missiles and the technology to produce them. She said: "Any British military facilities in Ukraine and beyond could become targets for Russian strikes if Kyiv uses British weapons against Russia."
Zakharova threatened that any British military facilities in Ukraine and beyond its borders could become targets for Russian strikes if Kyiv uses British weapons against Russia. She added: "Any British military facilities and equipment in Ukraine and beyond could be targeted in response to Ukrainian strikes using British weapons on Russian territory."
