A senior Kremlin figure has publicly signalled that Moscow wants to fuel “economic crises,” social unrest and even rubbish-collection strikes in the UK, with the stated aim of making day-to-day life in Britain “as unbearable as possible.”
Dmitry Medvedev, who serves as deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council under Vladimir Putin, also raised the prospect of deploying Poseidon, Russia’s new nuclear-powered underwater drone, which Moscow has claimed could unleash radioactive tidal waves.
The hostile message from Moscow comes as new Prime Minister Andy Burnham is set to receive Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today as his first overseas guest, while the UK increases its military support for Ukraine.
Medvedev, a former Russian president and prime minister, said: “The new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Burnham, declared his unconditional support for Ukraine.”
He added: “There is nothing new in that, of course. What matters is that our mission is to keep doing everything possible to make life on this still-floating island as intolerable as we can.”
Medvedev continued: “Everything is on the table: economic turmoil, social disorder, rubbish strikes. Everything. Although the Poseidon system remains the most appropriate option…”
Putin has previously said the underwater nuclear strike drone, which is said to be powered by its own atomic reactor, is now “in the final stages of development.”
“We are moving toward completing it and placing it on combat alert,” the Russian leader said at the time.
Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev threatened use of the new nuclear underwater drone Poseidon
Burnham is due to host Zelensky at a naval base, where the UK premier will hand over the intellectual property behind Britain’s new Stone Cloak electronic warfare system
Putin claimed the Poseidon – powered by its own atomic reactor – is ‘in the final stages of development
The new weapon needs to be ‘applied to specific waters and specific combat operations,’ he said.
Burnham is due to host Zelensky at a naval base, where the UK premier will hand over the intellectual property behind Britain’s new Stone Cloak electronic warfare system, which makes drones harder for air defences to locate and intercept.
The size of a tablet computer and attached to drones, the military-grade jammers can hinder Russian air defence systems from tracking and targeting such weapons in-flight, Downing Street said.
It noted the device stemmed from the ‘rapid innovation’ being developed between the two allies under a 100-year partnership pact signed in January last year.
Thousands of the jammers have already been gifted to Kyiv to help its armed forces maintain drone operations, according to London.
Following their roll-out and potential mass production in Ukraine, Stone Cloak will be built into the next generation of UK deep-strike capabilities, it noted.
‘Stone Cloak is the best of homegrown British innovation and proven on the frontline, and it will be vital to protecting our security in both our countries,’ Burnham said.
The move will enable Ukraine to manufacture the onboard drone-protection jammer domestically in large numbers rather than rely on British deliveries.
‘I want to build a large factory in Great Britain based on new technologies and share them with our partners,’ said Zelensky as he appealed for a ‘new chapter in our relationship’ with Britain.
‘We are ready to share all our experience with Great Britain.’
The prime minister’s Downing Street office announced late Sunday that Burnham would vow ‘to continue the unbreakable bond between the two nations’, echoing what the new UK leader told Zelensky in a call last Monday within hours of replacing Keir Starmer.
‘Britain stands with Ukraine, shoulder to shoulder, and our support remains unwavering,’ Burnham, who took office on July 20, said in a statement.
‘Russia should be in no doubt of our resolve, and we will not back down until we achieve long-lasting and just peace for Ukraine.’
In overnight strikes, Ukrainian drones targeted Russian FSB and Interior Ministry buildings in Belgorod with fires, power outages, and secondary explosions near the sites.
Smoke was rising over the port in Rostov-on-Don after Ukrainian strikes.
Ukrainian drones targeted railway infrastructure in Rostov
Ukrainian drones targeted Russian FSB and Interior Ministry buildings in Belgorod
Belgorod was under Ukrainian drone attack
At least eight Russian airports in the Urals were closed due to drones as Ukraine attacked Sarapul, a distance of at least 840 miles, in ‘the most massive attack’ on an oil storage facility in the Udmurt Republic.
And Ukrainian military intelligence reported destroying a Russian S-400 air defence launcher and radar in occupied Crimea – with a value of around £45 million.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed a new surge of long-range strikes as Putin has repeated his refusal to end the war.
‘We agreed to continue our operations and updated the list of priority targets – in accordance with their real impact on Russia and its ability to continue and prolong this war,’ he said.
‘The main goal is to further pressure Russia into diplomacy by disrupting the production of weapons components, causing oil and other economic losses, and bringing this war back to [Putin’s territory].’
