Concerns are growing that Vladimir Putin could be laying the groundwork for a broader confrontation with Europe, as questions intensify over the state of the UK’s defence strategy.
Fresh satellite imagery has revealed a significant expansion of military facilities along Russia’s borders with Nato member states.
The material, published by Denmark’s national broadcaster in partnership with intelligence agencies, points to a surge in construction activity across multiple sites.
According to the images, new barracks, storage buildings and military vehicles have appeared at the bases over the past two years.
The developments are likely to increase pressure on Keir Starmer, who is already facing mounting criticism after months of internal disputes over defence spending culminated in the dramatic resignation of Defence Secretary John Healey on Thursday.
In a scathing exit statement, the senior minister accused the Prime Minister and Chancellor Rachel Reeves of failing to do enough to protect the country’s security.
Sir Keir has now promoted security minister Dan Jarvis to fill the key Cabinet post, but the Defence Investment Plan remains unfinished. It is meant to lay out how the Government will fill a £28billion shortfall in budgets over the next four years, but it has emerged the Treasury is only offering £10billion of extra funding.
Satellite images released by Denmark’s national broadcaster in cooperation with intelligence services show a flurry of construction work over the past two years, including new barracks, warehouses and military vehicles. Pictured: Russian military build-up at Luga, Russia
Vladimir Putin is expanding dozens of military bases along Russia’s borders with Nato countries in a major build-up that has raised fresh fears over the Kremlin’s long-term ambitions in Europe
Keir Starmer staged an awkward photo op in No10 this morning with Dan Jarvis and Chief of the Defence Staff Richard Knighton – also thought to be at risk of quitting – as he put on a show of normality
One of Russia’s compounds is in Pechenga in the Arctic, just five miles from the Norwegian border.
Intelligence assessments suggest Russia’s Murmansk region, near Finland and Norway, could now accommodate up to 17,000 additional troops within striking distance of neighbouring countries.
Another military site near the Estonian border has also amassed significant numbers of vehicles, according to the images.
The expansion comes amid wider concerns over Russia’s growing hostility towards the Western alliance.
The Ministry of Defence has warned Downing Street that Russian aggression towards Nato is now at record levels.
Russian jets and drones are said to have violated Nato airspace more last month than at any other point this year, while the total number of incidents in 2026 has already surpassed the whole of 2025.
Former Army officer Colonel Richard Kemp told The Sun that while a Russian attack on Nato was not inevitable, it could not be ruled out.
‘Nevertheless that possibility can’t be excluded as Putin is a master of the unexpected,’ he said. ‘What is most concerning is that neither the UK nor our European allies are ready.’
Kemp added: ‘The reality is that we should be ready now and always to face all threats that might come our way.’
The warning came as Mr Healey announced his resignation, saying Britain’s armed forces were not sufficiently prepared to meet the growing threats facing the country.
Kemp also pointed to Mr Healey’s resignation letter in which he said our intelligence assessed that Russia might attack as soon as 2030.
Former British military intelligence officer Philip Ingram told The Sun the expansion was part of a longer-term Kremlin strategy.
‘The preparation of these bases is to do two things. Firstly, to respond to the expansion of NATO by suggesting a real capability to threaten NATO’s borders over a very long front,’ he said.
Mr Ingram added that Russia was creating the conditions to rapidly rearm and deploy forces towards Nato’s borders once the war in Ukraine eventually comes to an end.
Satellite images show a flurry of construction work in the past two years at Pechenga, near the Norwegian border
The warning came as Defence Secretary John Healey announced his resignation, saying Britain’s armed forces were not sufficiently prepared to meet the growing threats facing the country
Danish Defence Academy analyst Anders Puck Nielsen warned that Russia sees a future confrontation with Europe as increasingly likely, although the war in Ukraine remains Moscow’s immediate priority.
The Ministry of Defence has not officially confirmed the number of Russian airspace incursions over Nato countries, although it is understood the rate of violations has increased significantly.
Recent incidents have included Russian submarines being tracked near British undersea cables in the North Atlantic, while naval incursions by Putin’s forces into British waters have increased by 30 per cent over the past two years.
Mr Healey was followed out of the door by his deputy Al Carns and two ministerial aides yesterday.
There was an agonising nine-hour wait before Mr Jarvis was finally promoted to take charge of the Ministry of Defence.
Sir Keir staged an awkward photo op in No10 this morning with Mr Jarvis and Chief of the Defence Staff Richard Knighton – also thought to be at risk of quitting – as he put on a show of normality.
In his resignation letter yesterday, Mr Healey revealed that plans signed off by the PM and Chancellor will increase defence spending by just 0.08 percentage points of GDP by the end of the decade, despite rising threats across the world.
Senior defence figures warned that the threadbare settlement would leave Britain ‘in danger’.
Business Secretary Peter Kyle – one of the PM’s few remaining loyalists – was despatched to broadcast studios to try to stabilise the situation.
He admitted the Defence Investment Plan (DIP) – which was due last Autumn – has still not been finalised.
‘The plan is being developed. We are determined to get it right,’ Mr Kyle told Times Radio.
‘We are talking about an enormous amount of money going into defence at a period of time where we have to modernise the way we think about defence, but also make sure that we do so in a way that benefits British jobs.’
