10 May 2025 , 08:55
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A number of towns and cities in the UK are said to be on Vladimir Putin’s hitlist of nuclear targets should the despot decide to reach for the red button and declare war on NATO nations
Russia has put together a secret list of countries on Vladimir Putin ’s “hitlist”, with towns and cities up and down the UK potentially at risk of nuclear attack.
The Russian despot’s apparent willingness to consider using the weapons further highlights threats he has made to Western nations supporting Ukraine. While Putin has threatened the UK and other countries, he has failed to follow through with any attacks other than on Ukraine. The alarming revelation highlights the continued threat of a nuclear exchange that has existed since the end of the Cold War, with several UK cities said to be on the list of potential targets.
As reported by the Financial Times, secret documents revealed Russia’s nuclear hit list has 32 targets across NATO, including a shipyard in Cumbria, a factory in Hull and a site near Edinburgh. Russia’s main target is reportedly the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarine shipyard at Barrow-in-Furness.
It is also suggested that Putin has crosshairs on a factory in Hull and a shipyard where aircraft carriers are built at Rosyth near Edinburgh. According to a different report, other places potentially on the list include Aldershot, Colchester and Portsmouth. Chatham, Tidworth and Salisbury also feature.
A Whitehall source told the Daily Express at the time: "The information includes details of a high-level attack in addition to a low-level strike. A Russian airstrike on UK soil would, of course, be a declaration of war, both on the UK and on the rest of NATO."
It comes amid a brief pause in the fighting in Ukraine following Putin’s announcement of a three-day halt to the fighting, coinciding with Russia’s Victory Day commemorations to mark the defeat of Nazi Germany. During World War Two, referred to as the Great Patriotic War in Russia , approximately 27 million Soviet soldiers and civilians lost their lives while vanquishing Hitler’s formidable war machine and counterattacking all the way to Berlin.
Putin seeks to draw parallels between the historical self-sacrifice and his current unauthorized assault on Ukraine , falsely justifying the invasion under the pretence of expelling Nazis and fascists from the nation. The newly announced ceasefire took effect at 10pm GMT on Wednesday and is scheduled to conclude on May 11.
Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said on Wednesday: "The only obstacle to ceasefire is Kiev, who violates the agreements and is not willing to discuss conditions for a long-term cessation of hostilities.
“The Ukrainian armed forces ’ conduct during the 72-hour ceasefire on May 8-10, declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin in connection with the Victory Day, will be a test for their peaceful intentions."
World Affairs Correspondent