London prepares for a Russian attack as intelligence warns it is a matter of “when, not if”

The UK government is preparing a public information campaign urging households to build emergency supplies of water and canned food as intelligence officials warn that a Russian attack, whether physical or cyber, is a matter of “when, not if.”

According to the Financial Times, Prime Minister Andy Burnham is developing a social media campaign aimed at strengthening household resilience. The initiative is expected to focus not only on extreme weather and other emergencies, but also on the possibility of physical or cyber aggression from Russia.

The preparations come amid growing tensions between London and Moscow. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov recently warned that Britain’s offer to help Ukraine independently produce Scalp and Storm Shadow cruise missiles would amount to “participation in the war” and would carry consequences.

British intelligence officials are now reportedly assessing the possibility of Russian retaliation, particularly following Burnham’s remarks marking the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence.

Putin had apparently expected Burnham to adopt a softer approach toward Russia than his predecessor, Keir Starmer. Instead, the new prime minister has reaffirmed Britain’s support for Ukraine and accused Russia of having “started the fire” by launching the conflict.

According to intelligence sources, Russia is already attempting to breach British infrastructure on a daily basis.

UK updates its “war book”

Against this backdrop, the government is updating its “war book”, a guide outlining measures for protecting the country in the event of an attack.

Concerns over Britain’s infrastructure vulnerabilities have also intensified. Last week, reports emerged that hackers had managed to infiltrate the management systems of a UK power plant, highlighting potential weaknesses in the country’s energy infrastructure.

Dieter Helm, an economics professor at the University of Oxford, told the Financial Times that Britain has a number of potentially vulnerable targets, ranging from offshore wind farms near Aberdeen in Scotland to the undersea gas pipeline linking Norway and England.

A Downing Street spokesperson said national security remains a priority for every government and stressed that London wants to ensure the public is aware of practical measures they can take to prepare for and protect themselves against a range of potential threats.