Horror WW3 warning as Russia 'likely' to attack Britain - 4 locations on Putin's hitlist
April 16, 2026
Security experts have warned that Russia will target British companies that make weapons for Ukraine.
Tensions between the United Kingdom and Russia have escalated following a direct threat from Moscow, which identified four specific locations in Britain as potential targets for attack. Russia's Ministry of Defence explicitly named sites in London, Leicester, Reading, and Suffolk, alleging their connection to the production and supply of military drones to Ukraine. This public declaration represents a significant and direct warning against a NATO member, deepening concerns about the widening implications of the conflict in Ukraine.
The threat was amplified by Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy head of Russia's Security Council, who stated that the list of European facilities producing equipment for Ukraine should be "taken literally" as potential targets for the Russian armed forces. In an ominous message, he told European partners to "sleep well," adding that the timing of any potential strikes depends on future developments. This rhetoric is part of a broader pattern of deteriorating UK-Russia relations, which have recently included accusations of Russian covert submarine operations near critical undersea infrastructure in UK waters.
The specific locations named by Russia appear to be linked to the UK’s defence and technology sectors. In Suffolk, the threat is understood to be directed at a new drone factory in Mildenhall, a town that also hosts a major Royal Air Force station with a significant United States Air Force presence. The targets in Leicester are reported to be a drone factory and a business park, while the London location corresponds to the former address of a company dealing in industrial equipment. However, the accuracy of Russia's intelligence has been questioned, as some of its named targets in Europe have been identified as non-military or outdated locations, such as a residential building in Munich and a company that had moved two years prior.
Security experts have analyzed the nature of the potential Russian action. Colonel Richard Kemp, a former government terrorism adviser, has suggested that a direct military strike is less probable than deniable sabotage operations. He warned of a "direct threat against ordinary British people" working at these sites and urged that the threat be taken "extremely seriously," suggesting that such operations could be carried out by criminal organizations linked to Russia to maintain a level of plausible deniability. This assessment aligns with a broader pattern of Russian hybrid warfare, which includes cyberattacks, espionage, and disinformation campaigns.
The UK government has maintained a firm posture against Russian aggression. Just days before the latest threats, Defence Secretary John Healey addressed recent Russian naval activity by stating, "we see you, we see your activity over our underwater infrastructure." He warned that any attempt to damage it would not be tolerated and would have serious consequences. The government has backed this stance by increasing defence spending, enhancing its submarine-hunting capabilities, and leading NATO's new Arctic Sentry mission to counter Russian threats in the High North. The UK also remains a leading member of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), a coalition of ten northern European nations focused on responding to regional security threats below the threshold of war.
Source: expresscouk