Russia labels Britain its ‘top enemy’ amid rising Ukraine tensions

Russia has reportedly issued fresh warnings to the UK amid increasing tensions over British military support for Ukraine. A former deputy foreign minister of Russia said Britain is “evil number one” as the Kremlin has reportedly identified lawful military targets across the UK.

Meanwhile, senior advisor to Vladimir Putin Andrei Fedorov claimed that the highest levels of the Russian government were considering a hybrid attack as the pressure escalated.

Fedorov indicated Andy Burnham’s plans to hand Ukraine extended strategy for long-range Storm Shadow missiles which are manufactured by the British arms company MBDA, employing 4,000 people and has its headquarters in Stevenage, Hertfordshire.

In this connection, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said: “The reckless rhetoric and attempts at intimidation we have seen from the Kremlin in recent weeks reflects the weakness of Putin's position and we will not be intimidated.”

“This has been a bad year for Putin. The front line has barely moved. Russian casualties continue to mount. The Russian people are paying a heavy price for Putin's war.”

“It is also in our national interest that Putin's aggression must not be rewarded. The Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and I are working together to mobilize support for Ukraine ahead of winter.”

Russia has been linked to several hostile incidents in the UK including an arson attack on a warehouse in east London in 2024 and the assassination attempt of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, Salisbury in 2018.

On Friday, western officials noted a cautious protective posture against hidden tactics but added, “Our assessment remains that Russia is not seeking direct confrontation with Nato.”

The threats from Russia follow Burnham’s visit to Kyiv on Monday during which he announced that the UK would provide Ukraine with blueprints for long-range missiles. Nonetheless, that decision provoked severe criticism from Russia with President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying it would make the conflict worse.