Putin (Image: Getty)
Vladimir Putin has warned Russia is “ready for war” with the UK and its Western allies, adding that there will be “no winners” in the conflict. The Russian despot’s chilling threat is the latest in a string of warnings to the West as Moscow looks to undermine support for Ukraine.
Speaking at a press conference in Moscow following a Russia-Africa summit, Mr Putin said: “We are ready for war with Europe, but we don’t want it. As for them – if anyone desires such a thing, let them prepare.”
He added: “But they have not achieved their goal of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia. It’s unlikely that this will be possible by 2030.
“And if things go too far, there will be no winners at all. Let no one forget that.”
Western officials have said Mr. Putin does not want a direct military confrontation with NATO, despite warnings that Russia could attack the alliance by 2030 as tensions continue to rise. Defense Secretary Wes Streeting only last week said Britain must be ready for war in a 1,000 days.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (Image: Getty)
Without name-checking Russia, he wrote in The Telegraph: “Our adversaries’ willingness to harm us is not new. What has changed is their capacity. By 2030 their force strength and war economy could put them in a position to attack. That gives us a little over 1,000 days to complete our mission: to be ready with our allies to fight and win.”
It comes as European nations are on high-alert over Russian sabotage following a series of incidents blamed on Moscow. Last week, the German military warned of a “significant” Russian sabotage threat, moving its risk assessment to the second-highest level for the first time.
The classification change came after a crashed explosive-laden drone was discovered near an airbase in the north-west of the country in mid-September, local reports say. Berlin had previously blamed Moscow for an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport in August, something which the Kremlin denied.
Russia has also been linked to several incidents at defense and military sites across Europe in recent months. Western officials have long alleged Russia is running a campaign of sabotage and disruption aimed at weakening support for Ukraine.
European officials have warned Moscow is intensifying its actions, with fears Britain could be vulnerable. Countries along NATO’s eastern flank have seen a rise in drone incursions in recent months, with several suspected Russian UAVs shot down.
Moscow has also been accused of using warplanes to breach airspace over Poland, Lithuania and Estonia in a test of NATO defenses. Speaking on Thursday, Mr Putin said he supported steps to restore relations with European nations.
He added he did not want to see the Baltic Sea face a similar situation to that of the Strait of Hormuz which has been hugely disrupted by Iran after US-Israel attacks, reports the Daily Mail.
It comes days after the leaders of Norway and Finland held a phone call with Mr. Putin on Tuesday. The 90-minute call, believed to be the first between pro-Ukrainian leaders and Mr. Putin in more than a year, was met by criticism from other Nordic countries.
Dozens of African leaders have been in Moscow for the two-day Russia-Africa summit which is part of the Kremlin’s efforts to expand its influence across the continent.
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