A senior Russian official has reignited fears of World War Three by threatening to target over 20 defence-linked sites across the UK. Dmitry Rogozin, a senator and former deputy premier, shared a map of 23 locations, including military and industrial sites in all four UK nations, taken from a UK government policy paper. The warning follows former defence secretary Ben Wallace's call to make Crimea uninhabitable for Russia.
Propagandist Vladimir Solovyov echoed the threat on state TV, saying: 'Dmitry Rogozin today posted a reminder of targets in Britain that could be destroyed first. The idiots will get what's coming to them.' While a nuclear strike remains unlikely, experts have advised on survival steps.
Dr Arnab Basu, CEO of Kromek Group, told the Mirror: 'If a nuclear strike were launched on a UK city, residents would likely be given some warning. For those outside the immediate blast zone, the priority is to get to shelter quickly, ideally the most central part of a building. Seal windows and doors with tape to reduce radioactive dust entering.' He also urged filling containers with water, as supplies may become contaminated.
Dr Basu advised against fleeing, stating: 'For the next two to three days, remain indoors, preferably in the most central part of your shelter. Survival depends less on fleeing and more on shielding yourself from fallout.' The International Commission on Radiological Protection recommends getting inside a building's centre or basement, noting that Eizo Nomura survived the Hiroshima bombing at 170 metres from ground zero by being in a basement.
After detonation, there is typically 10 minutes or more to find shelter. Multi-storey buildings with brick or concrete walls, underground parking garages, and subways offer good protection. While London's Tube network might seem safe, experts warn modern nuclear weapons could penetrate deeper than WWII bombs, making even deep stations like Hampstead (58 metres deep) potentially unsafe.
